On benefits of adaptive bidding with the contract net protocol in multi-robot systems

Abstract

This thesis investigates the effectiveness of using the Contract Net Protocol, an auction type system, for controlling task allocation among a group of robots, and presents and evaluates a strategy of using Artificial Neural Networks to formulate adaptive bids within the framework of the Contract Net Protocol. The robots were used in a foraging environment and showed that excellent communication among robots leads to a need for a social control mechanism for managing the robots, such as the Contract Net Protocol. The experiments also confirmed that a moderate benefit can be gained by using adaptive bidding within the framework of the Contract Net Protocol.