Robot swarms: Groups with autonomously coordinating robots

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• April 14, 2023

Insight summary

The working principles of swarms in nature inspire scientists to create similar robotic systems. These robotic swarms are designed to perform tasks, such as navigation, search, and exploration, efficiently and in a coordinated manner. These robotic systems are expanding in various fields, such as agriculture, logistics, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring. 

Robot swarms context

The swarm behavior common in nature lets the tiniest creatures, like termites, build mounds as tall as nine meters. Gaining inspiration, scientists have been working on swarm robots: simple, autonomous robots that work towards a central goal through cooperation and coordination without the need for central management. 

The design of swarm members is simple, making their construction economically feasible. 
Effective swarm robotic systems need to exhibit flexibility in their tasks and the roles assigned to members. The number of robots present is not fixed and should not impact the system's performance, even if losses occur during operations. The design should be able to operate despite environmental disturbances or systemic flaws. Robot swarm systems can exhibit autonomy, self-organizing capabilities (arguably the most crucial characteristic), and indirect communication skills as well. 

Singular robots would have to be very complex and expensive to demonstrate the range of characteristics that swarm robotic systems possess. They also do not allow redundancy, whereas swarm robots can adapt to losses of individual robots. All such properties give swarm robotic systems an edge over conventional machines, opening applications in industries, security services, and even medicine.    

However, there are limitations to swarm robots as well. The decentralized nature of swarm robotic systems can make them less optimal for certain applications. Because of their autonomy, robots may react to changes in their surroundings individually and spontaneously, which can lead to inconsistencies in behavior within the group. For many real-life applications, the decentralized nature of swarm robots can make it challenging to achieve the level of control and precision required.

Disruptive impact 

Swarm robots will increasingly be employed in factories and warehouses to perform repetitive tasks. For example, Chinese startup Geek+ developed Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), which can navigate a warehouse in Hong Kong using QR codes on the floor as guidance. These robots also use artificial intelligence to make decisions on the direction and route to reach their destination. Geek+ claims to have implemented over 15,000 robots in warehouses across 30 nations, including those of companies like Nike and Decathlon.

More research into swarm robotics will improve algorithms, increasing their usage in other sectors (like the military) that involve tasks potentially dangerous to humans, such as detecting and defusing bombs. Robots can be utilized to survey hazardous regions in search of specific items such as chemicals and toxins or survivors following a natural disaster. They can also be used to transport dangerous materials and to carry out mining operations without human intervention. The development of nanorobot swarms for drug deliveries and precision treatments medicine will likely see increased interest and investment as well. Finally, robot swarms can be utilized in the agricultural sector to transform farming and reduce the workload for farmers by automating harvesting and planting.

Implications of robot swarms

Wider implications of robot swarms may include:

• A decreased demand for unskilled labor to perform repetitive tasks in warehouses, factories, and farms.
• Better worker safety, as such systems eliminate the need for workers to perform dangerous tasks.
• Nanorobotic swarms being injected into patients for medical procedures, and they may even replace certain surgeries altogether (2050s).
• The widespread adoption of robot swarms leading to cost savings for industries such as agriculture and logistics.
• Swarm robots being deployed in renewable energy production and maintenance, such as solar panel cleaning.
• Robot swarms could be used to explore and map other planets, moons, and asteroids, or to perform space-based tasks that would be too dangerous or difficult for human explorers.
• Enhanced environmental monitoring, remediation, and conservation, including monitoring pollution, detecting oil spills, or mapping land and water resources.
• These devices being used for surveillance and reconnaissance, such as border control and security, but also used for espionage and cyberattacks.
• Better precision farming, including monitoring crops, and controlling pests and weeds, which could lead to increased crop yields and reduced use of pesticides.

Questions to consider

• What other areas do you expect robot swarms to be employed in?
• What ethical considerations should be considered when developing and using swarm robots?