Deadlock-free multievader pursuit using obstacle-aware buffered Voronoi cells

This paper examines a distributed algorithm designed for multiple pursuers to cooperatively capture multiple faster evaders in environments cluttered with obstacles, while avoiding deadlock. Building on the existing Obstacle-Aware Buffered Voronoi Cells (OABVC) framework, we extend its capabilities to handle multi-pursuer multi-evader scenarios and irregular obstacles. We use the “move-to-centroid” method to control the pursuers’ movement in the absence of knowledge about the evader’s strategy. Moreover, we propose a distributed deadlock avoidance algorithm designed for obstacle-filled environments, relying solely on local information about the positions of nearby obstacles and target evaders. The simulation results evaluate the proposed algorithm’s effectiveness.