Market Approaches to the Multi-Robot Task Allocation Problem: a Survey

Market-based methods have received significant attention for solving the multi-robot task allocation problem. They have been used in a variety of multi-robot scenarios, such as patrolling, exploration, pick-and-delivery, and many more. In consequence, the literature on market-based methods is thriving, with many innovative concepts and complex scenarios studied. However, there has been no survey of this literature in the recent years. In this paper, we apply a rigorous systematic literature review method, designed to produce transparent and reproducible meta-analyses, in order to address the need for a survey of the literature of market-based methods applied to the multi-robot task allocation problem. We provide researchers with an introduction to market-based methods, a comprehensive classification of market-based methods, addressing both market and communication schemes, an analysis of the comparative studies on market-based methods, and a discussion of research trends.