Cooperating multi-robot systems: An overview

A critical survey of the research efforts in multiple robot systems to manipulate a single object is presented. Several robots may be used together to perform operations at an assembly station in order to increase productivity. However, the robots can become obstacles to each other and collisions are possible, thus requiring accurate coordination. The main issue is the collision-free operation which will be briefly described. On the other hand, cooperative robots are capable of performing tasks that are either difficult or impossible to be carried out by a single robot such as manipulation of heavy, long, or flexible objects. The attention is focused on this case, where a closed chain is formed by robot arms and the object. Thus, there are many solutions of the joint torque and motion for a particular load and required movements. The modelling and analysis of these closed chains are important factors and must be considered.