A multi-robot search using LEGO mindstorms: an embedded software design project

Abstract

Embedded software is concurrent, real-time dependent, typically networked, must meet strict resource and high quality requirements, and often runs on cheap hardware. Altogether, this makes the education of embedded software designers a difficult challenge. In this paper, we present an embedded software design project, where students have to develop a multi-robot search using Lego mindstorms. The main idea is to confront the students with all the spites that are typically present in embedded systems, while at the same time giving them an algorithmically non-trivial problem to solve. To this end, we let the students use a bio-inspired search algorithm (particle-swarm optimization) to detect survivors (led by cries for help) in an unknown disaster zone using a number of Lego Mindstorm robots. We have executed this project simultaneously at the University of Potsdam and TU Berlin and discuss results and evaluations. We think that this project is very well suited for the education of embedded software engineers.