Shepherd: A fabrication-oriented tool for simulation and control of mobile robotic platforms for collaborative earthworks

Recent advancements in robotics empower the exploration of remote construction methods aimed at reducing the risk for workers. As the global pandemic places construction workers and their communities at high risk for disease, the need for remote construction methods increases. Such methods depend on the complicated task of controlling mobile robotic platforms in real-time. In this context, this paper presents workin-progress in development and experimentation with a tool for collaborative earthworks using multi-agent unmanned ground vehicles. Expanding the field of collective robotic construction, this research simplifies the use of mobile robots and enables their operation using a design platform. Shepherd, a fabrication-oriented tool for simulation and control of mobile robotic platforms is presented, and its capacities are demonstrated in an earthworks case study. The case study exemplifies the potential of this approach to change the role of design tools in the operation and adoption of mobile multi-robotic platforms, thus contributing to robotic fabrication in architecture, landscape architecture, and construction.