RoboNetSim: An integrated framework for multi-robot and network simulation

In networked multi-robot systems, communication plays a major role defining system's dynamics and performance. Unfortunately, existing multi-robot simulators do not provide advanced communication models. Therefore, given the intrinsic unreliability of wireless communications, significant differences might be observed between simulation and real-world results. Addressing these issues, we present RoboNetSim, an integrated simulation framework for communication-realistic simulation of networked multi-robot systems. RoboNetSim integrates multi-robot simulators with network simulators. We present two model implementations based on ARGoS at the robotic side, and NS-2 and NS-3 as network simulators. We evaluate the framework in terms of accuracy and computational performance, showing that it can efficiently simulate systems consisting of hundreds of robots. Using the Stage simulator as an example, we also show the integration of a robotic simulator with RoboNetSim by only adapting robot controllers, without the need to adapt the general code of the simulator. Finally, we demonstrate the effects of communication on mobile multi-robot systems. We consider two different case studies: a distributed coordination and task assignment scenario, and a coordinated mobility scenario. We compare realistic network simulation with simplified communication models and algorithms, and we study the resulting behavior and performance of the multi-robot system and the impact of different parameters. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.