Telerobotic Control for Teams of Semi-Autonomous Agents. Phase 1
Abstract
A Robotic Command Center, is to be developed to allow a commander and two drivers (three people) to control four remote vehicles. The drivers will be attempting to control two vehicles each--a difficult task. Giving vehicles a measure of autonomy is one way to simplify that task. On the other hand, deployed vehicles must not be hampered by software with limited competence or reliability. The only solution available soon is a vehicle control interface that allows for the entire range of possibilities between autonomous behavior and continuous teleoperation. Ideas are fused from telerobotics and from the Reaction Planning subfield of Artificial Intelligence, to develop a technology that permits vehicles to react autonomously to expected circumstances, while also permitting the human operator to instruct vehicles about what to do and how to do it. This study will program some examples of behaviors for the vehicles to perform semi-autonomously, and those behaviors by running them in the Team Works I environment. An interface was designed and built that allows the vehicle driver to communicate with the intelligent software controlling any and all of the vehicles. A single person is capable of controlling four simulated vehicles at the same time. The competence of the vehicle is to be expanded to give the operator new ways of instructing the vehicles, and to push those capabilities toward deployment in the real world.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 20, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA211648
Entities
People
- Daniel Mark Shapiro
- Marcel Schoppers