Subsumption Architecture

COMP329 Lectures 2022-10-03

This is the process of using simple rules to create complex behaviours.

Steel’s Mars Explorer System

Consider that we have a robot that we want to explore a distant planet and collect samples of rock. We know that the locations of the rocks tend to be clustered.

We can use the following rules from lowest to highest priority:

1. If true, move randomly.
2. If detect a sample then pick the sample up.

3. If carrying a sample and not at the base, then travel up gradient.

   The gradient is a radio signal emitted by the mother-ship.

4. If carrying a sample and at the base, then drop the sample.
5. If detect an obstacle, then change direction.

Stigmergy

This is a act of communicating by leaving signs in the environment.

We can include this behaviour in our system to allow multiple agents to communicate and locate clusters of rock:

3. If carrying sample and not at the base, then drop 2 crumbs and travel up the gradient.

4.5. If sense crumbs, then pick up one crumb and travel down the gradient.

A crumb is a detectable piece of radioactive material.