Students of the Faculty of Information Technology at ČVUT are learning how to program robotic agents so that they do not interfere with each other and lead them to practical cooperation in a new laboratory. They will use their knowledge in practice, for example, in the logistics of robotic warehouses or the development of autonomous cars.
Students learn how to program robotic agents in the new laboratory to achieve practical cooperation. The available computer technology allows them to work with up to 100 robots simultaneously. The lab has robotic agents of various types. Most of them are mobile robots that travel on the ground. But there are also miniature drones and robotic arms to be added in the future.
Ozobots, which orient themselves by light, is the most common type. They have light sensors on the underside. They can sense the color of the ground. Colored markings indicate their direction of movement.
Another type of mobile robot is the ePuck robotic agent. Equipped with various sensors, they can register an obstacle independently and avoid a collision. They are therefore suitable for testing fully autonomous systems.
Warehouse logistics or the development of autonomous vehicles
Currently, robotic agent systems are mainly used for unattended warehouse logistics. “Humans don’t move around there at all. Depending on what orders come in, the robots pick up the goods and take them to the packing location. There is already a human operator there. But the actual movement around the warehouse is done by robots,” says Surynek.
Robotic agents can also have aesthetic and artistic significance, as by programming them correctly, 3D patterns can be created. They could also be used to explore in 3D space or to protect various objects. Flying drones could partially replace couriers and deliver goods to customers.