SPbU Researchers Develop Algorithm for Synchronizing Robots Without a Central Hub
The Softmax algorithm allows multiple robots to act in sync without a central server.
Typically, the sequence of actions for robots — for example, in firefighting systems or warehouses — is set by a central server. If it fails, robots must rely on internal clocks, but those can run fast or slow due to temperature fluctuations. Previous synchronization methods are also imperfect: averaging breaks monotonicity, while taking the maximum causes clocks to accelerate endlessly.
"That is why we took the Softmax algorithm — it is an intermediate function between the average and the maximum. It produces a compromise. On one hand, we have far fewer situations where local time has to be reduced; on the other, monotonicity is preserved thanks to the maximum," explained Ivan Arkhipov, a specialist at the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at St. Petersburg State University.
According to him, this is where the main novelty lies. Earlier approaches without a central node relied on non-monotonic time, which caused system failures.
