Different from most of the formation strategies where robots require unique labels to identify topological neighbors to satisfy the predefined shape constraints, we here study the problem of identity-less distributed shape formation in homogeneous swarms, which is rarely studied in the literature. The absence of identities creates a unique challenge: how to design appropriate target formations and local behaviors that are suitable for identity-less formation shape control. To address this challenge, we propose the following novel results. First, to avoid using unique identities, we propose a dynamic formation description method and solve the formation consensus of robots in a locally distributed manner. Second, to handle identity-less distributed formations, we propose a fully distributed control law for homogeneous swarms based on locally sensed information. While the existing methods are applicable to simple cases where the target formation is stationary, ours can tackle more general maneuvering formations such as translation, rotation, or even shape deformation. Both numerical simulation and flight experiment are presented to verify the effectiveness and robustness of our proposed formation strategy.

翻译：与大多数需要机器人通过唯一标签识别拓扑邻接以满足预设形状约束的编队策略不同，本文研究同质集群中无标识的分布式形状形成问题，该问题在现有文献中鲜有探讨。无标识特性带来独特挑战：如何设计适用于无标识编队形状控制的恰当目标构型与局部行为。为应对这一挑战，我们提出以下创新成果。首先，为避免使用唯一标识，我们提出动态编队描述方法，并以局部分布式方式实现机器人的编队共识。其次，针对无标识分布式编队，我们基于局部感知信息提出适用于同质集群的完全分布式控制律。现有方法仅适用于目标编队静止的简单场景，而本文方法能处理更一般的机动编队，包括平移、旋转乃至形状形变。通过数值仿真与飞行实验验证了所提编队策略的有效性与鲁棒性。