Modelling, analysis and execution of robotic tasks using Petri nets

This paper introduces Petri net based models of robotic tasks, which can be used to analyse and synthesise task plans, taking into account a Petri net model that abstracts the relevant features from the robot environment as well. Logical analysis concerning deadlocks and resource conservation can be performed over the ordinary version of the model. A task plan modeled by a Petri net can be extracted from the generalised stochastic version of the model, representing the optimal plan given a probabilistic measure of uncertainty associated to the effects of its composing actions. The Petri net representing the model is suitable for being ran directly within the code, as well as for plan monitoring during execution time. Simulation results illustrating the methodology are presented for a robotic soccer scenario.