This repository contains the Multi Augmented Reality for Kilobots (M-ARK) software. If you use this software please cite the following research article:
- Luigi Feola, Andreagiovanni Reina, Mohamed S. Talamali, Vito Trianni, "Multi-Swarm Interaction through Augmented Reality for Kilobots," IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, (in press), 2023.
Download the ARK source code and follow the provided installation instructions.
Follow the Getting Started with ARK instructions.
The following describes the procedure to execute the DHTF experiment, presented in the paper, within M-ARK.
- To run an ARK node as a server you should use the ARK's server experiment code base provided in the ARK_exp_server folder within this repository.
- Open the .pro file inside the folder using Qtcreator IDE and then click build to obtain a compiled experiment file that can be used as any other ARK experiment (see the getting started section above).
- The server node's user must note the IP address of their machine and share it with the client's user. They must also ensure that firewall permissions are in place to allow the client to communicate with the server.
- To start the server, the server node's user must press the "Start Server" button on the ARK's user interface.
- To test that the communication is established between the server and the client, the server's user can write a string in the provided field on the user interface and press "Sent to client". If the communication is working, the client's user should receive the string sent by the server's user.
- To run an ARK node as a server you should use the ARK's client experiment code base provided in the ARK_exp_client folder within this repository.
- Open the .pro file inside the folder using Qtcreator IDE and then click build to obtain a compiled experiment file that can be used as any other ARK experiment (see the getting started section above).
- The client node's user must know the IP address of the server's machine.
- To connect to the server, the client node's user must select or manually insert the IP address of the server machine and press the "Connect to Server" button on the ARK's user interface.
The code to be uploaded to the Kilobot is the same for both experiments. Upload the kilobot_ALF_dhtf.c behaviour located at M-ARK_ARGOS/src/examples/behaviors/kilobot_ALF_dhtf.c. Line 9 of this file must remain commented when using real Kilobots and uncommented when using simulated Kilobots under ARGoS.
- Make sure you have ARGoS 3.0.0-beta56 installed!
- Make sure you have the kilobot plug-in installed!
- Copy the M-ARK_ARGoS folder content in the folder where the kilobot plug-in is installed.
- NOTE: keep the same folder structure and update all the CMakeLists.txt in a coherent manner.
- NOTE: Be careful that line 9 of
M-ARK_ARGOS/src/examples/behaviors/kilobot_ALF_dhtf.cfile is uncommented.
cd <PATH_TO_KILOBOT_PLUG-IN>
mkdir build
cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ../src
make
sudo make installOpen two terminals, and launch the following commands in the same order.
On the first terminal launch:
argos3 -c src/examples/experiments/kilobot_ALF_dhtf_server.argosOn the second terminal launch:
argos3 -c src/examples/experiments/kilobot_ALF_dhtf_client.argosOpen two terminals, and launch the following commands in the same order.
On the first terminal launch:
argos3 -c src/examples/experiments/kilobot_ALF_cre_server.argosOn the second terminal launch:
argos3 -c src/examples/experiments/kilobot_ALF_cre_client.argosM-ARK can be also executed in mixed modality. Follow the procedure described before to run a server node of M-ARK, and replace the IP address at which the client node, executed with ARGoS, tries to connect. The parameter to change is the ip_addr within the kilobot_ALF_dhtf_client.argos files.
- CRE experiment here is provided only in simulation.
- CRE experiment has been tested in mixed mode, but it is not reported here.