Local idle time utilization in centrally controlled mobile robots

A mobile robot, comprising:

• a memory storing a local repository of self-assigned task definitions;
• a locomotive assembly;
• a communications interface communicatively connecting the mobile robot with a central server;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• determine that a local activity metric associated with tasks assigned to the mobile robot by the central server meets an idle criterion;
• in response to determining that the local activity metric meets the idle criterion, select one of the self-assigned task definitions from the local repository;
• and
• initiate execution of a self-assigned task corresponding to the selected self-assigned task definition at the mobile robot;
• wherein each of the self-assigned tasks corresponding to the self-assigned task definitions is independently executable by the processor of the mobile robot where no task is assigned to the mobile robot by the central server;
• and
• wherein the idle criterion is assessed on a per-subsystem basis, such that the self-assigned task can be executed simultaneously with one or more of the tasks assigned to the mobile robot by the central server.