Robert Heikkilä

My research aims to contribute to future intelligent work machines via the examination of distributed multi-agent pathfinding and multi-agent pick-up and delivery algorithms. The idea is to use existing algorithms in the context of work machines and develop new ones. Specifically, I am interested in considering different worksite topologies, work schedules, crucial kinematic constraints, energy constraints for electric machines and so on.  
The goal is to further enable mobile work machine autonomy from the point of view of pathfinding and task scheduling.  The ideal way to do this would be via collaboration, which is the philosophical idea of agents working towards the common goal of mission completion even at the expense of individual goals. In a worksite this means that the pathfinding and work task scheduling is a mission that the agents should execute with collaborative autonomy enabled by inter-agent communication.
The methodology of my research involves simulating real-world scenarios concerning work machines in various environmental and operational settings. For example, container carrying machines in terminals, various mine related equipment and autonomous mobile robots in fulfilment centres.