System for self-organizing mobile robotic collectives

1. A system for managing a robotic network, comprising:

a plurality of mobile robots, each robot including program code configured to communicate and exchange information with other robots, and a set of sensors, wherein all robots are configured to track each other;

wherein when robots are removed from or added to the network, the remaining network adjusts;

wherein the robot network includes a plurality of sensor sources;

wherein the robot network is linked together to connect all robots to at least one other robot;

wherein the robots communicate with other robots within the network to share sensor data; and

wherein the robots in the robot network transmit to and receives sensor data from other robots in the network.

2. A system of claim l:

wherein the robot network consists of autonomous mobile robots.

3. A system of claim 1 :

wherein the robot system is programmed to update the status of the sensor data to the robots.

4. A system of claim 1 :

wherein the two or more robots in the robot network obtain and process sensor data from all the sensors in the sensor network in real time.

5. A system for managing a robotic network comprising:

a plurality of robots;

a plurality of intelligent mobile software agents (TMSAs), the IMSAs comprising software means for allowing robots to communicate, interact and collaborate with other robots;

wherein the plurality of robots are initially configured into a specific spatial configuration;

wherein new sensor data on environmental change is used to organize the robot network into a specific spatial configurations;

wherein new sensor data on environmental change is organized by IMSAs;

wherein the IMSAs programming is used to determine the priority of robot functions;

wherein the software code is transferred to robots;

wherein the robots are operable to receive software code from IMSAs;

wherein the specific spatial configuration of each sub-group of robots is determined based on information from one or more inputs from the environment; and

wherein the network of robots continually adjusts its spatial configuration.

6. A system of claim 5 :

wherein the specific spatial configuration of each set of robots is changed in response to the information from one or more inputs from the environment.

7. A system of claim 5 :

wherein the IMSAs use hybrid genetic algorithms to co-evolve with the robot environment.

8. A system for managing a mobile robotic system (MRS) comprising:

a collection of mobile robotic agents (MRAs);

intelligent mobile software agents (IMSAs) configured to allow MRAs to communicate, interact and collaborate with other MRAs:

wherein the IMSAs use simulations to model the positions of the MRAs;

wherein the simulations are organized to track the locations of MRAs from position to position over time;

wherein the simulations are transmitted to and received by the MRAs; and

wherein the simulations are used by the MRAs to configure the MRS.

9. A system of claim 8 :

wherein the simulations are processed in real-time.

10. A system of claim 8 :

wherein the simulations are organized to track the locations of MRAs from position to position over time.

11. A system of claim 8 :

wherein the plurality of configurations of MRAs change;

wherein the MRAs change their spatial positions based on the decisions from the changing simulations;

wherein the simulations are based on data from the changing environmental interactions; and

wherein the MRAs adapt their behaviors based on the simulation inputs as the data change.