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Vol: 54(68) No: 3 / September 2009

Piconet and Scatternet Communication Networks in Swarm Intelligence Simulation with Mobile Robots
A. Pásztor
Department of Information Technology, Kecskemét College, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Izsáki str. 10, 6000 Kecskemét, Hungary, phone: (+36) 76/516415, e-mail: pasztor.attila@gamf.kefo.hu, web: www.pasztorattila.hu
T. Kovács
Department of Information Technology, Kecskemét College, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Izsáki str. 10, 6000 Kecskemét, Hungary, phone: (+36) 76/516401, e-mail: kovacs.tamas@gamf.kefo.hu, web: www.gamf.hu/portal/?q=gamf/oktato/kovacs_tamas_dr
Z. Istenes
Department of Software Technology and Methodology, Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Informatics, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C., 1117 Budapest, Hungary, phone: (+36) 1/381 2139, e-mail: istenes@inf.elte.hu, web: http://quasar.inf.elte.hu/


Keywords: piconet, robots, swarm intelligence, simulation

Abstract
This study deals with swarm intelligence simulation through simple Lego NXT robots using Piconet and Scatternet networks. In this research, held at the Kecskemét College faculty of GAMF, we simulated the ants’ food collecting habits, in an artificial area, with low-cost NXT robots. These autonomous robots formed groups and collected objects/foods. They communicated with each other via Bluetooth and they used several sensors, such as touch, light and ultrasonic ones, to resolve their tasks. In the first part of the research, the group consisted of one master and three slave robots, similarly to the Piconet network. Then in the second part, we improved the communication system to a better one, allowing communication in a bigger group than a Piconet network, similar to the Scatternet network. This research could be a good starting point to other practical applications, such as, for example rescuing people and values from a polluted area or for solving collective topographical tasks.

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