Have you ever been in an area where it’s so crowded no one can move?
Robot swarms experience the same issue — when too many are trying to move in perfect order, they get jammed up and go nowhere. But there’s a solution.
There is a “sweet spot” between chaos and perfect order that leads to best performance. And it’s a simple fix.
A new study led by researchers at Harvard University reveals that throwing a little randomness into the mix can break up robot traffic jams and help bots get their jobs done quicker.
A smidge of capriciousness among robot movement lets them slip past each other and maintain flow. Not enough noise results in jams, too much noise and robots are off wandering aimlessly.
The “just right” area in the middle is where the magic happens.
Researchers tested using both computer models and real robots and discovered that at just the right level of randomness, traffic jams resolved, and test models reached their goals quicker. No central system instruction required.
Knowing that sometimes the best method of organization is to be a little less organized is meaningful not just for robots, but for such applications as warehouse logistics and crowd management.
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