Scalable Multi-Agent Surveillance: a Kernel-Based Approach

Abstract

In this work, we address the deployment problem for a team of mobile guards that tries to maintain a line-ofsight with an unpredictable mobile intruder. First, we present a computationally efficient strategy for generating a set of points, called kernel points, that covers the entire polygon. We then introduce a polygon partitioning technique based on the location of the kernel points. Next, we propose control laws for a free guard to track an intruder in general polygonal environments based on the analysis of a pursuit-evasion game around a single corner [1]. Finally, we present several variations of the proposed control laws that include capture and search, and illustrate the improvement in the overall visual footprint of the team of mobile guards based on extensive simulations.