DOME: Distributed Online Learning Based Multi-Estimate Fusion for Cooperative Predictive Target Tracking Using a Robotic Swarm

Abstract

This paper investigates cooperative predictive target tracking using a robotic swarm operating under high prediction bias and communication uncertainty. The robots interact over a randomly time-varying communication network and exhibit heterogeneity in onboard sensors and prediction algorithms. To address these challenges, a Distributed Online learning-based Multi-Estimate (DOME) fusion algorithm is proposed, which performs a collaborative weighted fusion of local and socially shared predictions. The fusion weights are adapted online using feedback from a prediction loss. Theoretical analysis establishes that conditional expectations of the fusion weights converge under reasonable assumptions. Simulation studies demonstrate that DOME outperforms both covariance-based and online learning-based decentralized fusion baselines, achieving $74\%$ and $72.4\%$ lower prediction loss in performance and scalability tests, respectively -- particularly under conditions involving significant model drift and communication unreliability. Further, DOME fusion is implemented in a ROS-Gazebo simulation environment.