Robot Swarms consists of a special type of distributed systems where robots exchange sensed data in order to coordinate robot behavior. The communication and synchronisation of data between collaborating robots is one of the major challenges in these systems. This challenge becomes even more critical when dealing with swarms of heterogeneous robots.

In this talk we will examine how a distributed shared memory (DSM) may be used on top of maritime heterogeneous autonomous robotic architectures (including underwater, surface, and aerial vehicles) to enable seamless communication between them.  In particular we will present ARES, a highly dynamic distributed shared memory protocol that can be used as the connecting tissue for decentralized data exchange for advanced swarming algorithms. Experimental results of a proof of concept prototype, reveal the challenges needed to overcome in order to effectively utilize such technologies in a heterogeneous, highly dynamic, loosely connected environment.

About Dr. Nicolas Nicolaou

Dr. Nicolas Nicolaou is a senior scientist and algorithms engineer at Algolysis Ltd. He obtained a Ph.D. and an M.Sc. from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Connecticut (2011, 2006), and B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Cyprus in 2003. His main research interests lie in the areas of distributed computing, distributed ledgers (blockchains), security for embedded devices and critical infrastructures, and sensor networks. He worked as a Marie-Curie Fellow in IMDEA Networks Institute (2014-2016), as a Postdoctoral Researcher in KIOS Research Center of Excellence (2017-2018), and he was invited as a Short-Term scholar (summer of 2017) in the Theory of Distributed Systems Group (TDS) research group led by Nancy Lynch, in CSAIL at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA. His research work was published in top-tier conferences and journals. He co-authored a book in Distributed Storage Systems, and he contributed as a chapter author for a book on the fundamentals of distributed ledgers, and for a book on the social impact of the COVID19 pandemic (as seen in the social media networks).

Nicolas co-founded Algolysis Ltd in 2014 and is currently coordinating and involved in a number of research projects, mostly focused in the areas of distributed storage systems, distributed ledgers, and data collection and analysis. Nicolas combines both a theoretical and practical background and he seeks ways to bring theoretical strong foundations into practice.

This event will be conducted in English