Authors:
Azizkhon Afzalov
;
Ahmad Lotfi
and
Jun He
Affiliation:
Department of Computer Science, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, U.K.
Keyword(s):
Path Finding, Multi-Agent, Moving Multiple Targets, Assignment Strategy, Heuristic Search Algorithm.
Abstract:
There are multi-agent algorithms that provide solutions with the shortest path without considering other pursuing agents. However, less attention has been paid to computing an assignment strategy for the pursuers that assign targets before the move action. Besides, the pathfinding problem for multiple agents becomes even more challenging if the goal destinations change over time. The path-planning problem for multiple pursuing agents requires more efficient assignment strategy algorithms. Therefore, this study considers existing and the most recent solutions and conducts experiments in a dynamic environment where multiple pursuing agents are outnumbered and required to capture the moving targets for a successful outcome. The existing cost function strategies, such as sum-of-costs and makes, are compared and analysed to the recent twin cost, cover cost and weighted cost assignment strategies. The results indicate that the recent criterion, the cover cost algorithm, shows the optimal o
utcomes in terms of pathfinding cost and runtime. Statistical analyses have also demonstrated the significance of the findings.
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