This repository contains the framework for testing different swarm behaviors in simulation and on different robotic platforms.

The files main_xxxxxx.py define different configurations for specific experiments. For the most recent examples see: main_kpkdemo_px4.py or main_discrete_sync_and_swarm.py.

Key components

Controller

Runs the main loop of the program. Supports single or multiple agents, depending on if the experiment is centralized or distributed. Currently implemented controllers:

• OfflineController --- centralized controller used mainly for simulations.
• SynchronizedOfflineController --- centralized controller for experiments with synchronous algorithms.
• ROSController --- controller for experiments using ROS2.

Logic

Implementation of different swarm behaviors.

Visualization

Abstraction for visualization of swarm behavior. The control of robots is also treated as visualization. Currently implemented:

• LiveVisualization displays the state of agents in matplotlib.
• BalboaVisualization controls Balboa self-balancing robots.
• PX4Visualization controls PX4-based drones.
• Crazyflie controls Crazyflie drones (special case that is also an implementation of position feedback)

Position feedback

Feedback about the position of agents. Currently implemented:

• PositionFeedback --- basic simulator that takes the current position and velocity and outputs new position.
• Optitrack --- reads positions received from the Optitrack mocap system over ROS2.
• PX4 --- reads positions received from PX4 over ROS2.
• Crazyflie --- reads positions provided by crazyswarm.

Knowledge

Defines how the agents keep their knowledge. There are two options: SharedKnowledge and SeparateKnowledge.

Communication

Defines how agents communicate with each other. Currently implemented:

• OfflineCommunication for communication based on shared memory.
• OfflineDistributedCommunication for communication based on shared memory but with separated knowledge (possible filtering of messages, not only broadcast).
• ROSCommunication for communication based on ROS2.