Wireless Communications for Mobile Robotic Systems

In the future, autonomous reconnaissance and surveillance tactical robotics systems (TRS) will operate individually or collectively to support a host of tasks in a continually changing environment. Advances in registration technology (e.g., GPS) will accurately locate the robot in space. Multi-sensors along with image understanding and processing systems will recognize and enhance nearby objects. The key to this capability is wireless command and control. Unfortunately, the demands placed on a wireless communication system by the TRS mission requirements establish a capability envelope far in excess of those currently employed in commercial systems (e.g., cellular). We propose R2D2 as an innovative technology capable of overcoming the current limitation associated with mobile wireless communications. We shall demonstrate that the R2D2 is (1) robust and resistant to jamming, (2) supports video with possible non-distorting compression, (3) has multiple access capabilities, (4) has extended range capabilities, and (5) has extremely low power and small packaging requirements. Our response to this challenge is based on the Athena ACT technology which has been shown to be a powerful single-chip direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) technology supporting the required TRS functions. The proposed study combines both theoretical and experimental components which will support the R2D2 claims and establish performance predictions for a Phase II demonstration system. In addition, critical VLSI elements of the R2D2 will be fabricated and tested in support of the overall project.