TELEROBOTIC CONTROL FOR TEAMS OF SEMI-AUTONOMOUS AGENTS

THE ARMY TANK COMMAND, TO DEVELOP ITS ROBOT COMMAND CENTER, IS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO CONTROL MORE VEHICLES WITH FEWER PEOPLE. THE SPECTRUM OF VEHICLE AUTONOMY RANGES FROM TELEOPERATION UP THROUGH TELEROBOTICS AND ON TO VEHICLE GOVERNED SOLELY BY GOAL SPECIFICATIONS.WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A TECHNOLOGY THAT PERMITS VEHICLES TO REACT AUTONOMOUSLY TO EXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES, WHILE ALSO PERMITTING A HUMAN OPERATOR TO INSTRUCT VEHICLES ABOUT WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT, EVEN TO ASSEMBLING NEW BEHAVIORS FROM A LIBRARY OF PRIMITIVE BEHAVIOR COMPONENTS. WE WILL FUSE IDEAS FROM TELEROBOTICS AND FROM THE REACTION PLANNING SUBFIELD OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO PRODUCE A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS ON ROBOTIC BEHAVIOR. THIS WILL EXTEND THE TEAM WORKS OPERATING ENVIRONMENT AS A TESTBED FOR TANK PLATOON STRATEGIZING.