Selecting an appropriate sequence is an instance of the distributed graph coloring problem, which can be solved in O (log (n)) time with n being the number of robots involved. We demonstrate our ...

The team designed mathematical rules that allow tiny robots to self-assemble into honeycomb-like structures by reacting only to what’s around them, without any top-down commands or detailed plans.

Just like bees, the individual robots in this simulation have no master plan. Simply by responding to local cues, they are able to construct honeycomb-like structures. The method could presage a ...

If a robot receives a conflicting opinion, it resets its own opinion by polling other robots. This allows the swarm to reach consensus without getting deadlocked.

A "swarm" of simple-minded robots that teams up to move an object too heavy for them to manage individually has been demonstrated by robotics researchers. The robots cannot communicate and must ...