Online planning for human – multi-robot interactive theatrical performance

Online planning for human – multi-robot interactive theatrical performance

We propose and evaluate a multi-robot system designed to enable live, improvisational theatric performance through online interaction between a performer and a robot system. The proposed system translates theatric performer intent into dynamically feasible trajectories for multi-robot ensembles without requiring prior knowledge of the ordering or timing of the desired robot motions. We allow a user to issue detailed instructions composed of desired motion descriptors in an online setting to specify the motion of varying collectives of robots via a centralized system planner. The centralized planner refines user motion specifications into safe and dynamically feasible trajectories thereby reducing the cognitive burden placed on the performer. We evaluate the system on a team of aerial robots (quadrotors), and show through offline simulation and online performance that the proposed system formulation translates online input into non-colliding dynamically feasible trajectories enabling a fleet of fifteen quadrotors to perform a series of coordinated behaviors in response to improvised direction from a human operator.

People

Ellen A. Cappo
PhD, 2020. Now at Shield AI.
Arjav Desai
PhD, 2021. Now at Shield AI.
Matthew Collins
M.S., 2019. Now at Near Earth Autonomy.
Nathan Michael
Director, 2014-2023. Now at Shield AI.

Robots

Crazyflie
Crazyflie