Applications

A distributed robotics system is ideal for the task of clearing a minefield. This task is dangerous for humans to complete, and it would be impossible for a single robot to locate mines over a large area. Distributing the task among many robots allows each of them to search and navigate a specific area, and take care of any mines that they find.

Fig. 14 Scout - a robotics design for military surveillance
to be used in a distributed robotics application

Audio and video devices may be used with the miniature robots to observe, share, and store information. The units will be able to act autonomously as a group, meaning that limited human interaction is required for any task other than viewing the stored information.

A swarm of medium-sized robots may be used for a task such as operating a mine or harvesting a field. Each robot could be equipped with tools for the specific task.

Distributed robotics has been proposed as an option for planetary exploration, rather than sending a single rover. It could also be used for mapping and search-and-rescue applications.

A swarm of small robots may be used for a task such as inspecting an airplane or industrial equipment. Each robot would be equipped with high-resolution sensors, and could learn to detect any potential problems using neural network feedback.