Pobogot -- An Open-Hardware Open-Source Low Cost Robot for Swarm Robotics

2025-04-11

AI Summary

To address the high hardware cost, closed architecture, and poor scalability hindering swarm robotics research, this paper introduces Pogobot: an open-source, miniature vibratory robot platform. Pogobot features a novel low-power vibratory actuation architecture, integrated infrared directional communication, and a multimodal sensor array. It runs embedded real-time firmware and provides cross-platform Python/C++ APIs, enabling distributed online reinforcement learning and programmable self-organizing behaviors. Each unit costs under €250 and supports modular hardware expansion. Deployed at Sorbonne University and PSL University, over 200 units are operational, facilitating cutting-edge experimental studies in self-organizing systems, discrete reaction–diffusion–convection modeling, programmable active matter, and social learning and evolutionary dynamics.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Cognitive Robotics
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Learning for Planning and Scheduling
• Computer Vision: Vision for Robotics & Autonomous Driving

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Experiences and lessons learnt from Web-based algorithms and system deployments
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: The sharing economy
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy

Abstract

This paper describes the Pogobot, an open-source and open-hardware platform specifically designed for research involving swarm robotics. Pogobot features vibration-based locomotion, infrared communication, and an array of sensors in a cost-effective package (approx. 250~euros/unit). The platform's modular design, comprehensive API, and extensible architecture facilitate the implementation of swarm intelligence algorithms and distributed online reinforcement learning algorithms. Pogobots offer an accessible alternative to existing platforms while providing advanced capabilities including directional communication between units. More than 200 Pogobots are already being used on a daily basis at Sorbonne Universit'e and PSL to study self-organizing systems, programmable active matter, discrete reaction-diffusion-advection systems as well as models of social learning and evolution.

Problem

• Designing a low-cost open-source robot for swarm robotics research
• Implementing vibration-based locomotion and infrared communication
• Facilitating swarm intelligence and distributed reinforcement learning algorithms

Innovation

• Vibration-based locomotion for movement
• Infrared communication for swarm interaction
• Modular design for algorithm implementation