Swarm intelligence for the industry 4.0
At the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University, the intelligence of swarms is being investigated with miniature robots in the "Swarm Lab" research laboratory. The findings could find use in Industry 4.0.
The miniature robots are self-sufficient units that are assigned to a higher-level unit. You can slowly move, turn, and estimate your position within the swarm. In the lab different scenarios are played through to investigate the behavior. The knowledge gained could be transferred to robots that are used in production or for transport. Robots would independently transport goods and, when difficulties arise - size / weight of a parcel - would come together with other robots to transport the parcel together. This would be done independently, i. a central control would not be necessary. In addition, the process would be self-optimizing.