An Approximation Algorithm for a Task Allocation, Sequencing and Scheduling Problem Involving a Human-Robot Team

Hari, Sai Kanth; Nayak, Abhishek; Rathinam, Sivakumar

doi:10.1109/lra.2020.2970689

An Approximation Algorithm for a Task Allocation, Sequencing and Scheduling Problem Involving a Human-Robot Team

Journal Article · Thu Jan 30 23:00:00 EST 2020 · IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/lra.2020.2970689· OSTI ID:1739985

^[1]; Nayak, Abhishek ^[1]; ^[1]

Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

Here we present an approximation algorithm for a Task Allocation, Sequencing and Scheduling Problem (TASSP) involving a team of human operators and robots. The robots have to travel to a given set of targets and collaboratively work on the tasks at the targets with the human operators. The problem aims to find a sequence of targets for each robot to visit and schedule the tasks at the targets with the human operators such that each target is visited exactly once by some robot, the scheduling constraints are satisfied and the maximum mission time of any robot is minimum. This problem is a generalization of the single Traveling Salesman Problem and is NP-Hard. Given k robots and m human operators, an algorithm is developed for solving the TASSP with an approximation ratio equal to 5/2- 1/k when m ≥ k and equal to 7/2 -1/k otherwise. Computational results are also presented to corroborate the performance of the proposed algorithm.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program

Grant/Contract Number:: 89233218CNA000001

OSTI ID:: 1739985

Report Number(s):: LA-UR--20-21915

Journal Information:: IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Journal Name: IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 5; ISSN 2377-3774

Publisher:: IEEECopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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An Approximation Algorithm for a Task Allocation, Sequencing and Scheduling Problem Involving a Human-Robot Team

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