Robotic Uniform Coverage of Arbitrary-Shaped Connected Regions

Abstract : In this article we present a novel algorithm for uniform coverage of a region. Surveillance, cleaning, and mine detection are some applications that would benefit from this type of algorithm. Prior work has claimed that this task is impossible to solve for non-convex regions. Our algorithm enables robots to uniformly cover arbitrary path-connected regions, such that the robot movements are not predictable and the region periphery is not neglected. The algorithm assumes that robots are independent and is physics-based, relying on an analogy with mean free paths of particles. Validation of the algorithm is rigorously provided via simulation and real robot experiments.