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Robotic experiments with cooperative Aerobots and underwater swarms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2009

Ehsan Honary,
Frank McQuade,
Roger Ward,
Ian Woodrow,
Andy Shaw,
Dave Barnes and
Matthew Fyfe
Ehsan Honary*
Affiliation:
SciSys, Clothier Road, Bristol BS4 5SS, UK.
Frank McQuade
Affiliation:
SciSys, Clothier Road, Bristol BS4 5SS, UK.
Roger Ward
Affiliation:
SciSys, Clothier Road, Bristol BS4 5SS, UK.
Ian Woodrow
Affiliation:
Systems Engineering & Assessment (SEA) Ltd., Beckington Castle, Castle Corner, Beckington, Frome BA11 6TB, UK.
Andy Shaw
Affiliation:
SciSys, Clothier Road, Bristol BS4 5SS, UK.
Dave Barnes
Affiliation:
University of Wales Aberystwyth, Computer Science Department, Penglais, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3DB, Wales, UK.
Matthew Fyfe
Affiliation:
Systems Consultants Services (SCS) Limited, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, RG9 2JN.
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: ehonary@hotmail.com
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Summary

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SciSys has been involved in the development of Planetary Aerobots (arial robots) funded by the European Space Agency for use on Mars and has developed image-based localisation technology as part of the activity. However, it is possible to use Aerobots in a different environment to investigate issues regarding robotics behaviour, such as data handling, limited processing power, and limited sensors. This paper summarises the activity where an Aerobot platform was used to investigate the use of multiple autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) by simulating their movement and behaviour. It reports on the computer simulations and the real-world tests carried out and the lessons learned from these experiments.

Keywords

Collective roboticsFormation flyingSwarmsAerobotUnderwater robotics

Information

Type
Article
Information
Robotica , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , January 2009, pp. 37 - 49
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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