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Towards Blockchain-based Multi-Agent Robotic Systems: Analysis, Classification and Applications

Ilya Afanasyev, Alexander Kolotov, Ruslan Rezin, Konstantin Danilov, Manuel Mazzara, Subham Chakraborty, Alexey Kashevnik, Andrey Chechulin, Aleksandr Kapitonov, Vladimir Jotsov, Andon Topalov, Nikola Shakev, Sevil Ahmed

TL;DR

The paper addresses decentralized coordination of heterogeneous multi-agent robotic systems using blockchain to create immutable interaction histories and smart-contract-driven governance. It offers a structured taxonomy of eight blockchain-enabled MARS applications, detailing mechanisms for bytecode distribution, time-bounded voting, task dispatch, and security validation. Real-world relevance is explored through Wireless Sensor Network implementations and applications in Smart Buildings, Smart Cities, and Industry 4.0, highlighting the potential for auditable, trust-based collaboration among autonomous agents. Key open challenges identified include scalability, latency, formal liability modeling, and ontology-based representations, which define a clear direction for practical deployment and further research.

Abstract

Decentralization, immutability and transparency make of Blockchain one of the most innovative technology of recent years. This paper presents an overview of solutions based on Blockchain technology for multi-agent robotic systems, and provide an analysis and classification of this emerging field. The reasons for implementing Blockchain in a multi-robot network may be to increase the interaction efficiency between agents by providing more trusted information exchange, reaching a consensus in trustless conditions, assessing robot productivity or detecting performance problems, identifying intruders, allocating plans and tasks, deploying distributed solutions and joint missions. Blockchain-based applications are discussed to demonstrate how distributed ledger can be used to extend the number of research platforms and libraries for multi-agent robotic systems.

Towards Blockchain-based Multi-Agent Robotic Systems: Analysis, Classification and Applications

TL;DR

The paper addresses decentralized coordination of heterogeneous multi-agent robotic systems using blockchain to create immutable interaction histories and smart-contract-driven governance. It offers a structured taxonomy of eight blockchain-enabled MARS applications, detailing mechanisms for bytecode distribution, time-bounded voting, task dispatch, and security validation. Real-world relevance is explored through Wireless Sensor Network implementations and applications in Smart Buildings, Smart Cities, and Industry 4.0, highlighting the potential for auditable, trust-based collaboration among autonomous agents. Key open challenges identified include scalability, latency, formal liability modeling, and ontology-based representations, which define a clear direction for practical deployment and further research.

Abstract

Decentralization, immutability and transparency make of Blockchain one of the most innovative technology of recent years. This paper presents an overview of solutions based on Blockchain technology for multi-agent robotic systems, and provide an analysis and classification of this emerging field. The reasons for implementing Blockchain in a multi-robot network may be to increase the interaction efficiency between agents by providing more trusted information exchange, reaching a consensus in trustless conditions, assessing robot productivity or detecting performance problems, identifying intruders, allocating plans and tasks, deploying distributed solutions and joint missions. Blockchain-based applications are discussed to demonstrate how distributed ledger can be used to extend the number of research platforms and libraries for multi-agent robotic systems.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 14 sections, 2 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related Papers
  3. The Classification of the Blockchain-based Robotics Applications
  4. Agent Tasks Assigned in Executable Code from Blockchain
  5. Distributed Decision Making by a Time-Limited Voting
  6. Distributed Decision Making for Tasks Assigned in Bytecode
  7. Action Validation to Exclude Intruders or Faulty Agents
  8. Economic Incentive to Optimize Task Performance
  9. Automated Task Dispatching via Blockchain
  10. Authentication / Suitability Check
  11. Ensuring the Integrity and Security based on Blockchain
  12. Realization of Multi-Agent Robotic System via Wireless Sensor Network
  13. Smart Buildings, Smart Cities and Industry 4.0
  14. Conclusions and Discussion

Figures (2)

  • Figure 1: The classification of typical cases for using blockchain technology in multi-agent systems in robotics applications
  • Figure 2: An ontology-related preprocessing scheme with six security-based ontologies and their combinations that identify dangerous processing nodes (red), warning zones (yellow), and safe (uncolored) zones