Swarm robotics is a field of multi-robotics in which large number of robots are coordinated in a distributed and decentralised way. It is based on the use of local rules, and simple robots compared to the complexity of the task to achieve, and inspired by social insects. Large number of simple robots can perform complex tasks in a more efficient way than a single robot, giving robustness and flexibility to the group. In this article, an overview of swarm robotics is given, describing its main properties and characteristics and comparing it to general multi-robotic systems. A review of different research works and experimental results, together with a discussion of the future swarm robotics in real world applications completes this work. 1. Introduction Swarm robotics is the study of how to coordinate large groups of relatively simple robots through the use of local rules. It takes its inspiration from societies of insects that can perform tasks that are beyond the capabilities of the individuals. Beni [1] describes this kind of robots’ coordination as follows: The group of robots is not just a group. It has some special characteristics, which are found in swarms of insects, that is, decentralised control, lack of synchronisation, simple and (quasi) identical members. This paper summarises the research performed during the last years in this field of multi-robotic systems. The aim is to give a glimpse of swarm robotics and its applications. In Section 2, the motivation and inspiration of swarm robotics taken from social insects is explained. Section 3 continues addressing the main characteristics of swarm robotics. The relationship of swarm robotics with multi-robotic systems in general is stated in Section 4. Different robotic platforms and simulators suitable for swarm-robotic experimentation are described in Section 5. Section 6 surveys the different results in solving tasks and performing basic behaviours using a swarm-robotic approach. Present and future real applications are depicted in Section 7. Lastly, in Section 8 the main ideas of this survey are summarised. 2. Social Insect Motivation and Inspiration The collective behaviours of social insects, such as the honey-bee’s dance, the wasp’s nest-building, the construction of the termite mound, or the trail following of ants, were considered for a long time strange and mysterious aspects of biology. Researchers have demonstrated in recent decades that individuals do not need any representation or sophisticated knowledge to produce such complex behaviours [2]. In social insects, the individuals are
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