title: Collective odor source estimation and search in time-variant airflow environments using mobile robots.
abstract: This paper addresses the collective odor source localization (OSL) problem in a time-varying airflow environment using mobile robots. A novel OSL methodology which combines odor-source probability estimation and multiple robots' search is proposed. The estimation phase consists of two steps: firstly, the separate probability-distribution map of odor source is estimated via Bayesian rules and fuzzy inference based on a single robot's detection events; secondly, the separate maps estimated by different robots at different times are fused into a combined map by way of distance based superposition. The multi-robot search behaviors are coordinated via a particle swarm optimization algorithm, where the estimated odor-source probability distribution is used to express the fitness functions. In the process of OSL, the estimation phase provides the prior knowledge for the searching while the searching verifies the estimation results, and both phases are implemented iteratively. The results of simulations for large-scale advection-diffusion plume environments and experiments using real robots in an indoor airflow environment validate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed OSL method.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Robotics and Autonomous Systems, School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Rd., Tianjin 300072, China. qh_meng@tju.edu.cn
authors.forename: Qing-Hao
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Wei-Xing
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000392:Air Movements; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D000465:Algorithms; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004058:Diffusion; D017143:Fuzzy Logic; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D055585:Physical Phenomena; D012212:Rheology; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D059015:Wireless Technology
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D005740:Gases