In this project, a multi-mobile robot control framework for parcel sorting in the sorting centre is built. But this is far from the end of the story. The stage was built, the future is belonging to the actors. It’s easy to note that most of the algorithms and strategies in this project are relatively simple. For example, the path planning algorithm is a traditional A search algorithm which it never utilizes global information. Also, the
might not the best choice in most of the time. Besides, although the by modifying the move cost, the robots path planning behaviour can be affected so that the path planning behaviour is more suitable for the multi-robot environment but this only applicable for static cost in this project.
In short, the current algorithms and strategies are based on local information.
This is ignoring most of the global information that might help in doing a better decision.
Please noted that it is possible for the proposed framework to assign the job of global information processing to the server, and let the robots make their decision based on the processed information, but this type of algorithms is still not be developed in this project.
On the other hand, this project proposed that path planning behaviour can be controlled by modifying the cost, but how to design the cost is still mainly empirical.
This is providing a few possible future directions, for example, the robots might learn the cost by using learning algorithms, or this problem can be converted to a search problem and thus solve the problem by using stochastic algorithms. Apart from that, since the cost can affect the robots’ path planning behaviour, this technique might able be used to resolve the congestion by modifying the cost based on the particular situation.
That is, a dynamic cost might be used in the future.
Apart from that, the layout of the sorting centre might also be improved. In this project, only one layout is investigated. But in fact, the layout might not the best, especially in a different situation, for example, the target of a sorting centre is to sort the parcel into 200 destinations instead of 500 or more. In this situation, multiple drop points can be used for a single destination and thus reduce the moving distance for the robots to sort the parcels if the location of the drop-off points is well-designed. Besides, the mapping between the drop off-point location and the destinations where the parcels need to sort to can be improved. This is because of some destination might be used more frequently compared to others.
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FACULTY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
Full Name(s) of Candidate(s)
Ch’ng Chee Henn
ID Number(s) 15ACB03595
Programme / Course CS
Title of Final Year Project Developing a Cooking Gas Ordering and Delivery System Mobile Application
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Form Title : Supervisor’s Comments on Originality Report Generated by Turnitin for Submission of Final Year Project Report (for Undergraduate Programmes)
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