Multi-Robot Coordination and Pursuit System (MrCoPS)

As autonomous systems are increasingly employed for combat support, many of the applicable missions require coordination of multiple unmanned systems. Robot-human teams present a number of communication, resource-allocation, task-coordination, and general-interaction challenges. Architecture Technology Corporation proposes a multi-robot coordination system for search, and mapping in urban environments that allows a human operator to guide an autonomous-robot team through an urban structure. The robot team maps the structure''s interior providing the operator with a visualization of the structure''s interior and points of interest without risking human life. In short, the coordination system maximizes situational awareness and mission success while minimizing the injury risk to both friendly combatants and civilians. Our approach is scalable to arbitrary numbers of robotic and human team members, and interoperates with ground-based robotics and other autonomous systems such as micro-UAVs and sensor networks. The completed Phase I research produced a system architecture; the proposed Phase II effort will concentrate on prototype implementation. A Phase III effort would focus on technology insertion into an ongoing DOD program.