24,277 research outputs found
SwarMAV: A Swarm of Miniature Aerial Vehicles
As the MAV (Micro or Miniature Aerial Vehicles) field matures, we expect to see that the platform's degree of autonomy, the information exchange, and the coordination with other manned and unmanned actors, will become at least as crucial as its aerodynamic design. The project described in this paper explores some aspects of a particularly exciting possible avenue of development: an autonomous swarm of MAVs which exploits its inherent reliability (through redundancy), and its ability to exchange information among the members, in order to cope with a dynamically changing environment and achieve its mission. We describe the successful realization of a prototype experimental platform weighing only 75g, and outline a strategy for the automatic design of a suitable controller
UltraSwarm: A Further Step Towards a Flock of Miniature Helicopters
We describe further progress towards the development of a
MAV (micro aerial vehicle) designed as an enabling tool to investigate aerial flocking. Our research focuses on the use of low cost off the shelf vehicles and sensors to enable fast prototyping and to reduce development costs. Details on the design of the embedded electronics and the
modification of the chosen toy helicopter are presented, and the technique used for state estimation is described. The fusion of inertial data through an unscented Kalman filter is used to estimate the helicopter’s state, and this forms the main input to the control system. Since no detailed dynamic model of the helicopter in use is available, a method is proposed for automated system identification, and for subsequent controller design based on artificial evolution. Preliminary results obtained with a dynamic simulator of a helicopter are reported, along with some encouraging results for tackling the problem of flocking
Beyond swarm intelligence: The Ultraswarm
This paper explores the idea that it may be possible to
combine two ideas – UAV flocking, and wireless cluster
computing – in a single system, the UltraSwarm. The
possible advantages of such a system are considered, and
solutions to some of the technical problems are identified.
Initial work on constructing such a system based around
miniature electric helicopters is described
Evolution of Neural Networks for Helicopter Control: Why Modularity Matters
The problem of the automatic development of controllers for vehicles for which the exact characteristics are not known is considered in the context of miniature helicopter flocking. A methodology is proposed in which neural network based controllers are evolved in a simulation using a dynamic model qualitatively similar to the physical helicopter. Several network architectures and evolutionary sequences are investigated, and two approaches are found that can evolve very competitive controllers. The division of the neural network into modules and of the task into incremental steps seems to be a precondition for success, and we analyse why this might be so
A Note on the Unsolvability of the Weighted Region Shortest Path Problem
Let S be a subdivision of the plane into polygonal regions, where each region
has an associated positive weight. The weighted region shortest path problem is
to determine a shortest path in S between two points s, t in R^2, where the
distances are measured according to the weighted Euclidean metric-the length of
a path is defined to be the weighted sum of (Euclidean) lengths of the
sub-paths within each region. We show that this problem cannot be solved in the
Algebraic Computation Model over the Rational Numbers (ACMQ). In the ACMQ, one
can compute exactly any number that can be obtained from the rationals Q by
applying a finite number of operations from +, -, \times, \div, \sqrt[k]{}, for
any integer k >= 2. Our proof uses Galois theory and is based on Bajaj's
technique.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur
Rich Cluster and Non-Cluster Radio Galaxies & the (P,D) Diagram for a Large Number of FR I and FR II Sources
We present a comparison of the optical and radio properties of radio sources
inside and outside the cores of rich clusters from combined samples of more
than 380 radio sources. We also examine the nature of FR I and FR II host
galaxies, and in particular, we illustrate the importance of selection effects
in propagating the misconception that FR I's and FR II's are found in hosts of
very different optical luminosity. Given the large sample size, we also discuss
the power-size (P,D) distributions as a function of optical luminosity.Comment: to appear in Life Cycles of Radio Galaxies, ed. J. Biretta et al.,
New Astronomy Reviews; 6 pages, including 2 figure
- …