Distributed Spatial Awareness for Robot Swarms

Simon Jones; Sabine Hauert

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-04584-3_36

Distributed Spatial Awareness for Robot Swarms

Simon Jones^*
, Sabine Hauert

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

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Abstract

Building a distributed spatial awareness within a swarm of locally sensing and communicating robots enables new swarm algorithms. We use local observations by robots of each other and Gaussian Belief Propagation message passing combined with continuous swarm movement to build a global and distributed swarm-centric frame of reference. With low bandwidth and computation requirements, this shared reference frame allows new swarm algorithms. We characterise the system in simulation and demonstrate two example algorithms.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems
Subtitle of host publication	17th International Symposium
Editors	Alexandra Nilles, Kirstin H. Petersen, Tin Lun Lam, Amanda Prorok, Michael Rubenstein, Michael Otte
Publisher	Springer, Cham
Pages	536–552
Number of pages	17
ISBN (Electronic)	9783032045843
ISBN (Print)	9783032045836, 9783032047694
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-04584-3_36
Publication status	Published - 2 Nov 2025
Event	The International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS) 2024 - Cornell Tech, Roosevelt Island, Manhattan, New York City, United States Duration: 28 Oct 2024 → 30 Oct 2024 https://dars2024.engineering.cornell.edu/

Publication series

Name	Springer Proceedings in Advanced Robotics
Publisher	Springer Cham
Volume	34
ISSN (Print)	2511-1256
ISSN (Electronic)	2511-1264

Conference

Conference	The International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS) 2024
Abbreviated title	DARS2024
Country/Territory	United States
City	New York City
Period	28/10/24 → 30/10/24
Internet address	https://dars2024.engineering.cornell.edu/

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.

Research Groups and Themes

Bristol BioDesign Institute

Keywords

Swarm
Intralogistics
Shape formation
Gaussian Belief Propagation

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-032-04584-3_36

Full-text PDF (accepted manuscript)
This is the accepted author manuscript (AAM) of the article which has been made Open Access under the University of Bristol's Scholarly Works Policy. The final published version (Version of Record) can be found on the publisher's website. The copyright of any third-party content, such as images, remains with the copyright holder.
Accepted author manuscript, 1.9 MBLicence: CC BY

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Cite this

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title = "Distributed Spatial Awareness for Robot Swarms",

abstract = "Building a distributed spatial awareness within a swarm of locally sensing and communicating robots enables new swarm algorithms. We use local observations by robots of each other and Gaussian Belief Propagation message passing combined with continuous swarm movement to build a global and distributed swarm-centric frame of reference. With low bandwidth and computation requirements, this shared reference frame allows new swarm algorithms. We characterise the system in simulation and demonstrate two example algorithms.",

keywords = "Swarm, Intralogistics, Shape formation, Gaussian Belief Propagation",

author = "Simon Jones and Sabine Hauert",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.; The International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS) 2024, DARS2024 ; Conference date: 28-10-2024 Through 30-10-2024",

year = "2025",

month = nov,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1007/978-3-032-04584-3\_36",

language = "English",

isbn = "9783032045836",

series = "Springer Proceedings in Advanced Robotics",

publisher = "Springer, Cham",

pages = "536–552",

editor = "Alexandra Nilles and Petersen, \{Kirstin H.\} and Lam, \{Tin Lun\} and Amanda Prorok and Michael Rubenstein and Michael Otte",

booktitle = "Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems",

address = "Switzerland",

url = "https://dars2024.engineering.cornell.edu/",

}

Jones, S & Hauert, S 2025, Distributed Spatial Awareness for Robot Swarms. in A Nilles, KH Petersen, TL Lam, A Prorok, M Rubenstein & M Otte (eds), Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems: 17th International Symposium. Springer Proceedings in Advanced Robotics, vol. 34, Springer, Cham, pp. 536–552, The International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS) 2024, New York City, New York, United States, 28/10/24. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-04584-3_36

Distributed Spatial Awareness for Robot Swarms. / Jones, Simon ; Hauert, Sabine.
Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems: 17th International Symposium. ed. / Alexandra Nilles; Kirstin H. Petersen; Tin Lun Lam; Amanda Prorok; Michael Rubenstein; Michael Otte. Springer, Cham, 2025. p. 536–552 (Springer Proceedings in Advanced Robotics; Vol. 34).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

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T1 - Distributed Spatial Awareness for Robot Swarms

AU - Jones, Simon

AU - Hauert, Sabine

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.

PY - 2025/11/2

Y1 - 2025/11/2

N2 - Building a distributed spatial awareness within a swarm of locally sensing and communicating robots enables new swarm algorithms. We use local observations by robots of each other and Gaussian Belief Propagation message passing combined with continuous swarm movement to build a global and distributed swarm-centric frame of reference. With low bandwidth and computation requirements, this shared reference frame allows new swarm algorithms. We characterise the system in simulation and demonstrate two example algorithms.

AB - Building a distributed spatial awareness within a swarm of locally sensing and communicating robots enables new swarm algorithms. We use local observations by robots of each other and Gaussian Belief Propagation message passing combined with continuous swarm movement to build a global and distributed swarm-centric frame of reference. With low bandwidth and computation requirements, this shared reference frame allows new swarm algorithms. We characterise the system in simulation and demonstrate two example algorithms.

KW - Swarm

KW - Intralogistics

KW - Shape formation

KW - Gaussian Belief Propagation

UR - https://dars2024.engineering.cornell.edu/

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-032-04584-3_36

DO - 10.1007/978-3-032-04584-3_36

M3 - Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

SN - 9783032045836

SN - 9783032047694

T3 - Springer Proceedings in Advanced Robotics

SP - 536

EP - 552

BT - Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems

A2 - Nilles, Alexandra

A2 - Petersen, Kirstin H.

A2 - Lam, Tin Lun

A2 - Prorok, Amanda

A2 - Rubenstein, Michael

A2 - Otte, Michael

PB - Springer, Cham

T2 - The International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS) 2024

Y2 - 28 October 2024 through 30 October 2024

ER -

Distributed Spatial Awareness for Robot Swarms

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Research Groups and Themes

Keywords

Access to Document

Handle.net

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