Mixed-Criticality Wireless Communication for Robot Swarms

Sven Signer; Alan Gregory Millard; Ian Gray

Mixed-Criticality Wireless Communication for Robot Swarms

Sven Signer, Alan Gregory Millard, Ian Gray

Computer Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

In recent years the mixed criticality systems model has been adapted for use in shared-medium communication protocols, but it has not seen deployment into swarm robotics. This paper discusses ongoing work in the application of such a model to this domain, and argues for the benefits of such an approach. In many applications, reliability of communications is essential for the correct and safe operation of the robots. Given the inherently unreliable nature of wireless inter-robot communications, this paper argues for the application of timing- and criticality-aware communication protocols to be able to provide more reliable task-level performance of swarm robotics applications. In this work we define two illustrative swarm applications with two tasks at different criticality levels. Using simulation results we show that in the presence of wireless faults, standard best- effort protocols will cause application errors unpredictably, but a mixed-criticality wireless protocol can maintain important tasks at the cost of less important ones for longer.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	9th International Workshop on Mixed Criticality Systems
Subtitle of host publication	Proceedings
Publisher	WMC
Publication status	Published - 5 Dec 2022
Event	9th International Workshop on Mixed Criticality Systems - Houston, United States Duration: 5 Dec 2022 → 5 Dec 2022

Conference

Conference	9th International Workshop on Mixed Criticality Systems
Abbreviated title	WMC2022
Country/Territory	United States
City	Houston
Period	5/12/22 → 5/12/22

Bibliographical note

This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.

Access to Document

WMC_Paper
This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.
Accepted author manuscript, 1.33 MB

Cite this

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title = "Mixed-Criticality Wireless Communication for Robot Swarms",

abstract = "In recent years the mixed criticality systems model has been adapted for use in shared-medium communication protocols, but it has not seen deployment into swarm robotics. This paper discusses ongoing work in the application of such a model to this domain, and argues for the benefits of such an approach. In many applications, reliability of communications is essential for the correct and safe operation of the robots. Given the inherently unreliable nature of wireless inter-robot communications, this paper argues for the application of timing- and criticality-aware communication protocols to be able to provide more reliable task-level performance of swarm robotics applications. In this work we define two illustrative swarm applications with two tasks at different criticality levels. Using simulation results we show that in the presence of wireless faults, standard best- effort protocols will cause application errors unpredictably, but a mixed-criticality wireless protocol can maintain important tasks at the cost of less important ones for longer.",

author = "Sven Signer and Millard, {Alan Gregory} and Ian Gray",

note = "This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher{\textquoteright}s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.; 9th International Workshop on Mixed Criticality Systems, WMC2022 ; Conference date: 05-12-2022 Through 05-12-2022",

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T1 - Mixed-Criticality Wireless Communication for Robot Swarms

AU - Signer, Sven

AU - Millard, Alan Gregory

AU - Gray, Ian

N1 - This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.

PY - 2022/12/5

Y1 - 2022/12/5

N2 - In recent years the mixed criticality systems model has been adapted for use in shared-medium communication protocols, but it has not seen deployment into swarm robotics. This paper discusses ongoing work in the application of such a model to this domain, and argues for the benefits of such an approach. In many applications, reliability of communications is essential for the correct and safe operation of the robots. Given the inherently unreliable nature of wireless inter-robot communications, this paper argues for the application of timing- and criticality-aware communication protocols to be able to provide more reliable task-level performance of swarm robotics applications. In this work we define two illustrative swarm applications with two tasks at different criticality levels. Using simulation results we show that in the presence of wireless faults, standard best- effort protocols will cause application errors unpredictably, but a mixed-criticality wireless protocol can maintain important tasks at the cost of less important ones for longer.

AB - In recent years the mixed criticality systems model has been adapted for use in shared-medium communication protocols, but it has not seen deployment into swarm robotics. This paper discusses ongoing work in the application of such a model to this domain, and argues for the benefits of such an approach. In many applications, reliability of communications is essential for the correct and safe operation of the robots. Given the inherently unreliable nature of wireless inter-robot communications, this paper argues for the application of timing- and criticality-aware communication protocols to be able to provide more reliable task-level performance of swarm robotics applications. In this work we define two illustrative swarm applications with two tasks at different criticality levels. Using simulation results we show that in the presence of wireless faults, standard best- effort protocols will cause application errors unpredictably, but a mixed-criticality wireless protocol can maintain important tasks at the cost of less important ones for longer.

M3 - Conference contribution

BT - 9th International Workshop on Mixed Criticality Systems

PB - WMC

T2 - 9th International Workshop on Mixed Criticality Systems

Y2 - 5 December 2022 through 5 December 2022

ER -