Implementation of a Multi-Robot Coordination System for Warehouse Automation Using Arduino Platforms

Warehouse operations at Nigerian distribution centres in the South West zone are increasingly strained by labour costs and logistics inefficiencies that drive interest in affordable automation solutions. This project implemented a multi-robot coordination system using three differential-drive Arduino-based robots designed for small-scale warehouse shelf retrieval tasks. Each robot was equipped with an IR line-following sensor array, ultrasonic obstacle avoidance sensors, and an NRF24L01 wireless communication module for peer-to-peer task coordination. A central coordinator node running on a PC transmitted task assignments via a simple token-passing protocol. Each robot navigated a grid-based warehouse map encoded as an EEPROM lookup table, reporting completion status wirelessly. The system was tested on a 2.4 by 1.8 metre floor grid simulating a nine-shelf warehouse layout. Task completion accuracy was 94.4 percent across 180 individual retrieval trials. Average task completion time for a single shelf retrieval was 47 seconds. Collision avoidance between robots was effective in 97.8 percent of cases where robot paths intersected. Communication latency between coordinator and robots averaged 14 milliseconds. Total build cost for three robots and the coordinator was 124,000 naira. The study identifies line-following accuracy degradation under mixed lighting as the primary reliability constraint. Recommendations include replacing line-following with ultrasonic-only grid navigation and incorporating a camera-based position feedback system for more robust coordinate tracking in commercial deployment.

Keywords: multi-robot system, warehouse automation, Arduino, robot coordination, South West Nigeria