Date of Publication

8-16-2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering (Honors) - Ladderized

Subject Categories

Electrical and Computer Engineering

College

Gokongwei College of Engineering

Department/Unit

Electronics And Communications Engg

Honor/Award

Outstanding Thesis Award

Thesis Advisor

Argel A. Bandala

Defense Panel Chair

Jose Martin Z. Maningo

Defense Panel Member

Elmer P. Dadios
Raouf Naguib

Abstract (English)

Swarm robotics offers significant advantages by enhancing adaptability, scalability, and reliability. These systems excel in disaster response, environmental monitoring, and search and rescue operations, ensuring functionality despite the failure of individual robots. However, real-world deployment of swarm robotics is hindered by major communication security risks and concerns, making rigorous measures vital to prevent malicious attacks from compromising system integrity and effectiveness. Blockchain technology enhances data integrity and trust. This study introduces a robust Two-Factor Blockchain Consensus (2-FBC) framework, combining off-chain peer verification with an on-chain consensus mechanism. The framework dynamically adjusts peer similarity and trust scores, enabling reliable, decentralized consensus amidst the presence of Byzantine faults. With swarm robotic security research still in its infancy, this work aims to fill a fundamental gap, providing a solution to swarm vulnerabilities.

Experimental evaluations using E-puck robots in the ARGoS simulator and Crazyflie drones in hardware deployment demonstrate the framework's effectiveness. The 2-FBC approach achieved a mean absolute error of 2.52% in scalability tests, improved accuracy by 19.62% in diverse and challenging environments, and maintained a low error rate of 2.32% against Byzantine attacks. Resource efficiency was confirmed through practical CPU and RAM usage metrics, with mean bandwidth utilization for swarm robotic communication measured at 5.42 KB/s. Additionally, the total size of sent packets was approximately equivalent to the final blockchain size, indicating low communication overhead and costs. These results are consistent with the hardware deployment outputs obtained following the same assessments. The results validate the framework’s practicality and efficiency, paving the way for innovations in secure, decentralized swarm robotic systems. These advancements establish a solid foundation for new deployment opportunities in potentially adversarial environments.

Abstract Format

html

Abstract (Filipino)

None

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Swarm intelligence

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Embargo Period

7-2026

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