Cooperative Technology Development

Abstract

In this project, we propose to develop (1) a distributed and cooperative algorithm for multiple mobile platforms to determine identification and locations of collaborating and non-collaborating platforms with or without communication capabilities and (2) an autonomous, distributed, and cooperative controller for mobile platforms to re-create desired formations with varying attrition rates. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) currently has capabilities to localize stationary and mobile platforms using multiple cooperative small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The technologies, however, rely on reliable communications among team members, which cannot be guaranteed for a growing number of applications due to equipment failure, jamming signals and obstructions such as buildings and mountains. We propose to develop an algorithm based on propagation of conditional probability distributions over time to identify and locate mobile platforms in environments where communications may be compromised. In this proposed project, we also propose to develop a distributed controller for a team of mobile platforms to autonomously generate desired time-varying formations as members of the team fail to function over a mission. The UTSA efforts will complement the work being performed by the labs and organizations within and outside of the government in support of the ONR’s goal of developing autonomous, cooperative technologies. The UTSA technologies will be tested and the system analysis will be performed using a simulation environment with realistic parameters.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Aug 12, 2016
Source ID
N000141512551

Entities

People

  • Daniel J. Pack

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research
  • United States Navy
  • University of Texas at San Antonio

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Agent-Based Social Robotics and Mobile-Assisted Learning in Virtual Environments.
  • Research Science/Academic Research
  • Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - Autonomous System Control