Virtual Tube

A "virtual tube" is a conceptual pathway, often with varying width and curvature, used to guide the coordinated movement of multiple agents, such as robot swarms or drones, through complex environments. Current research focuses on developing distributed control algorithms and model architectures, including vector field methods and iterative learning control, to optimize speed, efficiency, and collision avoidance within these virtual tubes, often incorporating obstacle avoidance strategies and addressing challenges like self-localization drift. This work has significant implications for improving the autonomy and performance of multi-agent systems in diverse applications, ranging from autonomous drone racing to collaborative robotics in constrained spaces.