# The Robotarium: A remotely accessible swarm robotics research testbed

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1609.04730 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1609.04730/

## Key facts

- Cited by 24 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 15 Sep 2016.

## Built on by (most cited first, 24 of 24)

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- [A Framework for Real-World Multi-Robot Systems Running Decentralized GNN-Based Policies](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.01777/) (2021)
- [Learning to Fold Real Garments with One Arm: A Case Study in Cloud-Based Robotics Research](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.10297/) (2022)
- [Robotic Manipulation Datasets for Offline Compositional Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.07091/) (2023)
- [HeRo 2.0: A Low-Cost Robot for Swarm Robotics Research](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2202.12391/) (2022)
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- [A Hierarchical Game-Theoretic Decision-Making for Cooperative Multi-Agent Systems Under the Presence of Adversarial Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.16641/) (2023)
- [Utility Theory based Cognitive Modeling in the Application of Robotics: A Survey](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.09445/) (2023)
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- [Unifying Agent Interaction and World Information for Multi-agent Coordination](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.25550/) (2025)
- [SIERRA: A Modular Framework for Research Automation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.04748/) (2022)
- [From Multi-agent to Multi-robot: A Scalable Training and Evaluation Platform for Multi-robot Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.09590/) (2022)
- [SIERRA: A Modular Framework for Research Automation and Reproducibility](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.07805/) (2022)
- [Ultra-low Power Deep Learning-based Monocular Relative Localization Onboard Nano-quadrotors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.01940/) (2023)
- [Past, Present, Future: A Comprehensive Exploration of AI Use Cases in the UMBRELLA IoT Testbed](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.13346/) (2024)
- [OpenBot-Fleet: A System for Collective Learning with Real Robots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.07515/) (2024)
- [Federated Single-Agent Robotics: Multi-Robot Coordination Without Intra-Robot Multi-Agent Fragmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.11028/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

This paper describes the Robotarium -- a remotely accessible, multi-robot research facility. The impetus behind the Robotarium is that multi-robot testbeds constitute an integral and essential part of the multi-robot research cycle, yet they are expensive, complex, and time-consuming to develop, operate, and maintain. These resource constraints, in turn, limit access for large groups of researchers and students, which is what the Robotarium is remedying by providing users with remote access to a state-of-the-art multi-robot test facility. This paper details the design and operation of the Robotarium and discusses the considerations one must take when making complex hardware remotely accessible. In particular, safety must be built into the system already at the design phase without overly constraining what coordinated control programs users can upload and execute, which calls for minimally invasive safety routines with provable performance guarantees.