CAREER: Efficient Multi-Vehicle Coordination for Distributed Sensing and Estimation

University Of California-San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

The use of groups coordinated vehicles is revolutionizing the way in which observation, measurement, and estimation is carried out in aerial, underwater, and ground environments. In particular, multi-vehicle systems are uniquely suited for active monitoring and coordinated action in remote areas. Their ability to take in-situ, real-time measurements, together with the additional capacity for dynamic adaptation and integration with the environment makes them preferable over static sensor networks in a wide range of scenarios. The science of integrating the motion, sensing, communication, and computation capabilities of individual vehicles into complex and robust systems with predictable behavior is still at a primitive stage. This project aims to develop novel tools to analyze the complexity of distributed systems and their design, focusing on aspects such as distributed estimation, energy-constrained operation, and vehicle dynamics. The research plan is articulated along the following thrusts: (i) the investigation of spatial interpolation methods for decentralize estimation of physical processes and the synthesis of provably correct coordination algorithms for optimal sensing; and (ii) the design of energy-efficient coordination policies that take into account the non-trivial dynamics of multi-vehicle systems. The innovative technical approach relies on a set of promising modeling and analysis results, recently developed by the PI and collaborators, based on geometric optimization, graph theory, and systems and control theory. Broader Impacts: This research will have a significant impact on the use of multi-vehicle systems in scientific domains and disaster relief operations; that is, in those scenarios where real-time remotely sensed information and data gathering are important. In collaboration with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD, the PI plans to work on the implementation of efficient cooperative algorithms for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles used in climate and atmospheric research. Additional educational activities of this proposal include: (i) The creation of an Autonomous Multi-Vehicle Systems Laboratory, which will serve as a tool to simulate and validate cooperative algorithms, and as a means to involve undergraduates in research via design projects and summer internships. (ii) The offering of a course for talented high-school students in the California Summer School of Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) program, with a focus on robotic systems and their coordination