Unmanned biorobotic systems in high energy environments: Biologic to Robotic navigation through, and transitions from, the littoral zone
Abstract
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASEThis project will extract principles of control, sensing and biomechanics to exceed the current operational envelope of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). To accomplish this, we will characterize both the biological behavior of pinnipeds in littoral zone, including their transitions between the land and the high-energy surf zone, as well as the high energy fluid environment that this behavior occurs in. For an autonomous platform to successfully navigate this environment, it must have extensive onboard sensing capabilitiesT as well as advanced methods of stabilization. Finally, we propose to synthesize the results of these studies into a free-swimming autonomous platform based on the swimming sea lion.The study will provide us with a biological data on how pinnipeds navigate the high energy environment near the shore. This includes characterization of this region beyond the current literature. We will couple that with animal behavior observations asthe animals swim through this region, and transition to and from the shore. This is essential if amphibious unmanned vehicles are to be developed. Finally, this knowledge will be combined with existing understanding to sea lion force production in straight swimming and maneuvering to explore their stability with thatadded unsteady forcing of the littoral zone. Once we have an understanding of the environment and the associate biological behaviors, the project will the control and dynamics of autonomous platforms in the high energy environment. To even begin to do this, a platform must also be able to sense the environment around it. This includes extensive optimization of sensor type and location to achieve controllability. Beyond that, the platform must be able to synthesize the sensing data onboard and then explore active and passive methods for stabilization, maneuvering and actuation. This project is a natural, innovative extension of work on unsteady propulsion that has been carried out over the last decade. However, unlike previous results, which indicate that efficient underwater thrust production is at the cost of maneuverability and flexibility, the sea loin offers a potential paradigm wherein efficient, effective propulsion does not have to be dominated by heaving and pitching fins at a regular oscillatory frequency. Thus, it has the specific potential for creating efficient, robust underwater propulsion that can operate over a range of flow conditions and has the potential to move from the surf to the shore and be integrated into hybrid human/drone AI enabled teams, an expressed mission of the Office of Naval Research (ONR).This project will have a strong scientific contribution, both in the physics that will be explored and the methods that will be developed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 08, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412536
Entities
People
- Megan C. Leftwich
Organizations
- George Washington University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy