Gary A. Gilbreath

Coordinated control of multiple security robots

The Naval Command Control and Ocean Surveillance Center (NCCOSC) has developed an architecture to provide coordinated control of multiple autonomous vehicles from a single host console. The Multiple Robot Host Architecture (MRHA) is a distributed, LAN-based, multiprocessing system that can be expanded to accommodate as many as 32 robots. The initial application will employ eight Cybermotion K2A Navmaster robots configured as remote security platforms in support of the Mobile Detection Assessment and Response System (MDARS) Program. MDARS is a joint Army-Navy development effort which seeks to provide an automated intrusion detection and inventory assessment capability for use in DoD warehouses and storage sites.

Real-world issues in warehouse navigation

The MDARS security robotics program has successfully demonstrated the simultaneous control of multiple robots autonomously navigating within an industrial warehouse environment. This real-world warehouse system installation required adapting a navigational paradigm designed for highly structured environments such as office corridors (with smooth walls and regularly spaced doorways) to a semi-structured warehouse environment (with few walls and within which odd-shaped objects unpredictably move about from day to day). A number of challenges, some expected and others unexpected, were encountered during this transfer of the system to the test/demonstration site. This paper examines these problems (and others previously encountered) in the historical context of the ongoing development of the navigation and other technologies needed to support the operations of a security robotic system, and the evolution of these technologies from the research lab to an operational warehouse environment. A key lesson is that a systems robustness can only be ensured by exercising its capabilities in a number of diverse operating environments, in order to (1) uncover latent system hardware deficiencies and software implementation errors not manifested in the initial system hardware or initial development environment; and (2) identify sensor modes or processing algorithms tuned too tightly to the specific characteristics of the initial development environment.

An Advanced Telereflexive Tactical Response Robot

ROBART III is intended as an advanced demonstration platform for non-lethal tactical response, extending the concepts of reflexive teleoperation into the realm of coordinated weapons control (i.e., sensor-aided control of mobility, camera, and weapon functions) in law enforcement and urban warfare scenarios. A rich mix of ultrasonic and optical proximity and range sensors facilitates remote operation in unstructured and unexplored buildings with minimal operator oversight. Supervised autonomous navigation and mapping of interior spaces is significantly enhanced by an innovative algorithm which exploits the fact that the majority of man-made structures are characterized by (but not limited to) parallel and orthogonal walls. This paper presents a brief overview of the advanced telereflexive man-machine interface and its associated “human-centered mapping” strategy.

Hybrid navigational control scheme for autonomous platforms

ECHO is on.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Automated security response robot

ROBART III is intended as an advance demonstration platform for non-lethal response measures, extending the concepts of reflexive teleoperation into the realm of coordinated weapons control in law enforcement and urban warfare scenarios. A rich mix of ultrasonic and optical proximity and range sensors facilitates remote operation in unstructured and unexplored buildings with minimal operator supervision. Autonomous navigation and mapping of interior spaces is significantly enhanced by an innovative algorithm which exploits the fact that the majority of man-made structures are characterized by parallel and orthogonal walls. Extremely robust intruder detection and assessment capabilities are achieved through intelligent fusion of a multitude of inputs form various onboard motion sensors. Intruder detection is addressed by a 360-degree staring array of passive-IR motion detectors, augmented by a number of positionable head-mounted sensors. Automatic camera tracking of a moving target is accomplished using a video line digitizer. Non-lethal response systems include a six- barrelled pneumatically-powered Gatling gun, high-powered strobe lights, and three ear-piercing 103-decibel sirens.