Objectif
This research proposal is strongly motivated by a representative challenging mission scenario where one or more scientific divers are tasked to examine a series of targets on the seafloor, under very low visibility conditions, with the help and support of a network of companion autonomous marine robotic vehicles (AMRVs). As such, it falls in the realm of Cognitive Robotics while being rooted in solid systems theoretical concepts. This scenario paves the way for a yet unexplored area of research and development, whereby robotic vehicles are called upon to vastly enhance the security of underwater scientific and commercial missions that must be executed by humans. To meet the above goals, advanced systems must be developed for cooperative motion control, positioning, and navigation in the presence of severe underwater communication constraints. The present proposal goes well beyond what has so far been reported in the literature on cooperative motion control, in that it will address the situation where one or more divers play the role of “extra vehicles or agents” in a team of vehicles. From a theoretical standpoint, the challenging issues to be addressed focus on the interplay between cooperative motion control and adaptive sensor networking for accurate underwater target positioning. Especially challenging is the problem of deciding what formation pattern and motion to adopt for the robotic vehicles so as to maximize the amount of information available for positioning via triangulation and acoustic ranging. The project will witness the different steps involved in bridging the gap between theory and practice, ending with the execution of a representative mission in a pool or at sea with prototype AMRVs.
Champ scientifique
Thème(s)
Appel à propositions
FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF
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Régime de financement
MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)Coordinateur
1049 001 Lisboa
Portugal