Spiral Sweeping Search for Smart Evaders
研究如何用螺旋线队形扫描智能移动逃避者，提出两种新协议，在保证检测所有逃避者的前提下，显著缩短搜索时间并接近理论最低速度。
In this study, we investigate the challenge of detecting smart mobile evaders initially located inside a predefined planar circular region from which they try to escape without being detected by a line formation of sweeping agents. We propose spiral sweeping protocols designed to successfully carry out the task by setting specific conditions on both the speed and trajectory of the sweeping formation. These protocols are crafted to ensure that evaders, constrained by a set speed limit, cannot elude the formation’s agents. At first, the focus is on containing these evaders within a designated area. Achieving this is contingent upon certain geometric and dynamic prerequisites, which determine the minimum speed threshold for the sweepers. If the sweepers’ speed surpasses this lower bound, they are not only capable of confinement but also of complete detection, suggesting that with the right strategy, they can detect every smart evader. We present two new spiral line formation search protocols tailored for the detection of smart evaders, overcoming existing gaps in search methodologies. In addition, we conduct a comprehensive analysis comparing previously designed circular line formation sweep protocols with our newly devised protocols. Our comparative study is based on two key metrics: the duration required to detect all evaders and the minimal critical speed essential for a successful search. By evaluating these different strategies, we prove that our proposed protocols achieve a critical speed that is only slightly larger than the theoretical lower bound and that the total search time required is considerably shorter compared with previous approaches.