Multi-Agent Pathfinding in Automatic Warehouses – An Overview After 15 Years of Research
Abstract: Multi-Agent Path Finding (MAPF) has evolved from a theoretical combinatorial search problem into a foundational technology for real-world deployed systems. In this talk, I will focus on one such application: large-scale automated warehouses, where fleets of robots transport goods efficiently and safely. We will begin with the classical MAPF problem formulation, in which multiple agents navigate a shared space without collisions, and briefly review key algorithmic approaches to solving it. I will then describe the automated warehouse application in more detail and highlight the gaps between the MAPF-like challenges encountered there and the classical MAPF definition. We will examine existing approaches to bridging these gaps, including lifelong planning, robustness to failures, and techniques for mitigating uncertainty. The talk will conclude with open questions and promising research directions for advancing MAPF in practical, dynamic environments.
Bio: Roni Stern received his Ph.D in 2011. He is a full professor of computer science at Ben-Gurion University, Israel. In the past, he was a Principal Scientist at the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) and the president of the Symposium on Combinatorial Search (SoCS). His research interests include single- and multi-agent planning, learning domain models, automated diagnosis, and applying AI for Software Engineering. Roni is currently the head of the Software Engineering Program at BGU and leading the Anomaly Detection and Diagnosis lab and the Search, Planning, and Learning lab at BGU. He has been working on Multi-Agent Path Finding since 2010 and his contributions the field have received several awards including the AIJ prominent paper award.