Analysing the Cost-Efficiency of the Multi-agent Flood Algorithm in Search and Rescue Scenarios

• Published in: Multiagent System Technologies Vol. 9872; pp. 147 - 154
• Main Authors: Blatt, Florian, Becker, Matthias, Szczerbicka, Helena
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Springer International Publishing AG 2016; Springer International Publishing
• Series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science
• Subjects: Artificial intelligence
• ISBN: 3319458884; 9783319458885
• ISSN: 0302-9743; 1611-3349
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-45889-2_11

A Multi-Agent algorithm works by using at least two agents to create a synergistic effect, resulting in an emergence of new possibilities which are not programmed implicitly into the various agents. To achieve this synergistic effect the algorithm has to provide the possibility to communicate and consecutively allow cooperation between the agents. Considering the use of multi-agent algorithms in search and rescue scenarios the targeted effect of the emergence is on one hand a more effective search and rescue process or on the other hand only an optimized rescue process. This paper examines the number of agents that is needed for the Multi-Agent Flood algorithm to yield the most beneficial ratio between the used number of agents and time it takes to complete the search process. Our studies show that adding more robots may not be cost efficient for the search and rescue process. This in turn allows for a better planning and coordination of robotic search teams, as the number of needed agents can be anticipated and the possible transport logistics of robots can be optimized.