Space exploration using multiple robotic units
- Paper number
IAC-05-A3.P.04
- Author
Mr. Joakim Öman, Space Research institute, Sweden
- Year
2005
- Abstract
Research into the collaborative behaviour of robots in a non-deterministic environment has become popular in the last few years. Projects ranging from insect-like swarms and hives to competitive games like robot soccer are being used as test environments in order to develop systems of multiple robots that coordinate and collaborate to achieve a common objective. The coordination of multiple autonomous robots is a difficult prospect with significant possibilities. The reality of robots and their capabilities in the 1990’s is far different from the notions put forward by filmmakers and the media. The word robot to most people means a sentient being capable of imitating a human in all ways. In reality robots have the potential to become much more than this. Unlike humans who are generally restricted in the number of arms, legs, eyes and abilities that they posses, robots can be customised to fulfil specific tasks with much greater adaptability. Where some environments go beyond the bounds of human survivability, robots can be designed to function and achieve important goals. Disaster rescue, fire fighting, underwater and interstellar exploration are just a few potential uses for robots. In the case of long distance space exploration, sending a robot as far as Mars may cost hundreds of millions of dollars. It would be terribly disappointing if, after all that time money and effort, the robot crash landed, or worse, just sat there doing nothing. Instead, multiple autonomous robots could be used, each assigned with a common objective and designed in such a way that if one robot fails, the remaining robots are able to cope with the loss and still achieve the mission objective. It may take longer with fewer units available, but still they get the work done. Issues of redundancy where more robots are used than needed can improve the odds of completion. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the extent of Robotic solutions in space exploration. It discusses the advantages using multiple robotic units working together as a team towards a common goal. My study is based on sports events conducted by robots, to simulate a situation where teamwork is the key to success. The construction of a cricket robotic player stands as the research platform in a more detailed analyses of the demands of such a robot. It should not only be able to make decisions upon random events, it must also be able to communicate with other team members and together resolve the situation at hand.
- Abstract document