Connected Robot Automation: A Research Platform for Integrated Logistic Problems

The rise of autonomous and electric vehicles has revolutionized the logistics sector, with autonomous systems poised to address critical challenges such as charging station placement, task allocation, and inter-agent collaboration. This paper introduces CoRA (Connected Robot Automation), a research platform designed to tackle logistics problems across strategic, tactical, and operational levels, which haven't been addressed by other research so far [1]. CoRA integrates design, planning and operational problems via cutting-edge technologies, such as distributed Model Predictive Control (DMPC). Its hardware and software stack is built upon a foundation of equally complex and research-worthy systems, including perception, localization, and planning. The system operates within a dual framework, combining physical experiments and virtual simulations. This paper provides a comprehensive overview on the research platform to highlight key optimization problems like the Facility Location Problem (FLP) and Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), contributing to scalable, fault-tolerant, and efficient logistics solutions for autonomous systems [2] [3].