Estimation of relative position and coordination of mobile underwater robotic platforms through electric sensing.

International audienceIn the context of underwater robotics, positioning and coordination of mobile agents can prove a challenging problem. To address this issue, we propose the use of electric sensing, with a technique inspired by weakly electric fishes. In particular, the approach relies on one or several of the agents applying an electric field to their environment. Using electric measures, others agents are able to reconstruct their relative position with respect to the emitter, over a range that is function of the geometry of the emitting agent and of the power applied to the environment. Efficacy of the technique is illustrated using a number of numerical examples. The approach is shown to allow coordination of unmanned underwater vehicles, including that of bio-inspired swimming robotic platforms

Action-Perception Trade-Offs for Anguilliform Swimming Robotic Platforms with an Electric Sense

International audienceThe work presented addresses the combination of anguilliform swimming-based propulsion with the use of an electric sensing modality for a class of unmanned underwater vehicles, and in particular investigates the relative influence of adjustments to the swimming gait on the platform's displacement speed and on sensing performance. This influence is quantified, for a relevant range of swimming gaits, using experimental data recordings of displacement speeds, and a boundary element method-based numerical simulation tool allowing to reconstruct electric measures. Results show that swimming gaits providing greater movement speeds tend to degrade sensing performance. Conversely, gaits yielding accurate sensing tend to prove slower. To reconcile opposing tendencies, a simple action-perception cost function is designed, with the purpose of adjusting an anguilliform swimmer's gait shape, in accordance with respective importance afforded to action (i.e. movement speed) and perception

On Small Satellites for Oceanography: A Survey

The recent explosive growth of small satellite operations driven primarily from an academic or pedagogical need, has demonstrated the viability of commercial-off-the-shelf technologies in space. They have also leveraged and shown the need for development of compatible sensors primarily aimed for Earth observation tasks including monitoring terrestrial domains, communications and engineering tests. However, one domain that these platforms have not yet made substantial inroads into, is in the ocean sciences. Remote sensing has long been within the repertoire of tools for oceanographers to study dynamic large scale physical phenomena, such as gyres and fronts, bio-geochemical process transport, primary productivity and process studies in the coastal ocean. We argue that the time has come for micro and nano satellites (with mass smaller than 100 kg and 2 to 3 year development times) designed, built, tested and flown by academic departments, for coordinated observations with robotic assets in situ. We do so primarily by surveying SmallSat missions oriented towards ocean observations in the recent past, and in doing so, we update the current knowledge about what is feasible in the rapidly evolving field of platforms and sensors for this domain. We conclude by proposing a set of candidate ocean observing missions with an emphasis on radar-based observations, with a focus on Synthetic Aperture Radar.Comment: 63 pages, 4 figures, 8 table

Reference Model for Interoperability of Autonomous Systems

This thesis proposes a reference model to describe the components of an Un-manned Air, Ground, Surface, or Underwater System (UxS), and the use of a single Interoperability Building Block to command, control, and get feedback from such vehicles. The importance and advantages of such a reference model, with a standard nomenclature and taxonomy, is shown. We overview the concepts of interoperability and some efforts to achieve common refer-ence models in other areas. We then present an overview of existing un-manned systems, their history, characteristics, classification, and missions. The concept of Interoperability Building Blocks (IBB) is introduced to describe standards, protocols, data models, and frameworks, and a large set of these are analyzed. A new and powerful reference model for UxS, named RAMP, is proposed, that describes the various components that a UxS may have. It is a hierarchical model with four levels, that describes the vehicle components, the datalink, and the ground segment. The reference model is validated by showing how it can be applied in various projects the author worked on. An example is given on how a single standard was capable of controlling a set of heterogeneous UAVs, USVs, and UGVs

Oceanic Challenges to Technological Solutions : A Review of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Path Technologies in Biomimicry, Control, Navigation, and Sensing

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) epitomize a revolutionary stride in underwater exploration, seamlessly assuming tasks once exclusive to manned vehicles. Their collaborative prowess within joint missions has inaugurated a new epoch of intricate applications in underwater domains. This study’s primary aim is to scrutinize recent technological advancements in AUVs and their role in navigating the complexities of underwater environments. Through a meticulous review of literature and empirical studies, this review synthesizes recent technological strides, spotlighting developments in biomimicry models, cutting-edge control systems, adaptive navigation algorithms, and pivotal sensor arrays crucial for exploring and mapping the ocean floor. The article meticulously delineates the profound impact of AUVs on underwater robotics, offering a comprehensive panorama of advancements and illustrating their far-reaching implications for underwater exploration and mapping. This review furnishes a holistic comprehension of the current landscape of AUV technology. This condensed overview furnishes a swift comparative analysis, aiding in discerning the focal points of each study while spotlighting gaps and intersections within the existing body of knowledge. It efficiently steers researchers toward complementary sources, enabling a focused examination and judicious allocation of time to the most pertinent studies. Furthermore, it functions as a blueprint for comprehensive studies within the AUV domain, pinpointing areas where amalgamating multiple sources would yield a more comprehensive understanding. By elucidating the purpose, employing a robust methodology, and anticipating comprehensive results, this study endeavors to serve as a cornerstone resource that not only encapsulates recent technological strides but also provides actionable insights and directions for advancing the field of underwater robotics.© 2024 The Authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License. For more information, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Advances in Intelligent Robotics and Collaborative Automation

This book provides an overview of a series of advanced research lines in robotics as well as of design and development methodologies for intelligent robots and their intelligent components. It represents a selection of extended versions of the best papers presented at the Seventh IEEE International Workshop on Intelligent Data Acquisition and Advanced Computing Systems: Technology and Applications IDAACS 2013 that were related to these topics. Its contents integrate state of the art computational intelligence based techniques for automatic robot control to novel distributed sensing and data integration methodologies that can be applied to intelligent robotics and automation systems. The objective of the text was to provide an overview of some of the problems in the field of robotic systems and intelligent automation and the approaches and techniques that relevant research groups within this area are employing to try to solve them.The contributions of the different authors have been grouped into four main sections:• Robots• Control and Intelligence• Sensing• Collaborative automationThe chapters have been structured to provide an easy to follow introduction to the topics that are addressed, including the most relevant references, so that anyone interested in this field can get started in the area

Recent Advances in Multi Robot Systems

To design a team of robots which is able to perform given tasks is a great concern of many members of robotics community. There are many problems left to be solved in order to have the fully functional robot team. Robotics community is trying hard to solve such problems (navigation, task allocation, communication, adaptation, control, ...). This book represents the contributions of the top researchers in this field and will serve as a valuable tool for professionals in this interdisciplinary field. It is focused on the challenging issues of team architectures, vehicle learning and adaptation, heterogeneous group control and cooperation, task selection, dynamic autonomy, mixed initiative, and human and robot team interaction. The book consists of 16 chapters introducing both basic research and advanced developments. Topics covered include kinematics, dynamic analysis, accuracy, optimization design, modelling, simulation and control of multi robot systems