Undergraduate Capstone Projects on Multi-Robot Systems

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Undergraduate Capstone Projects on Multi-Robot
Systems

• Authored by Dr. Christopher Kitts
• Associate Professor
• Director, Robotic Systems Laboratory
• Director, Silicon Valley Center for Robotic
  Exploration Space Technologies
• Presented by Mr. Mike Rasay
• Doctoral Candidate, Robotic Systems
  Laboratory

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Outline

• Introduction
• Undergraduate Projects
• Formation Flying Aircraft
• Cooperative Rover Navigation
• Cooperative Object Transport
• Academic Framework
• Summary Conclusions

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Robotic Systems Laboratory

• Lab 1 faculty, 3 staff, 10 grad students, 35
  undergrad students
• External funding 750,000/yr from
  gov, industry, academia
• Space 2,000 ft2 on campus,7,500 ft2
  facility at NASA Ames
• Expertise system design, controls,
  teleoperation, automation, etc.
• Current Field Robotics

--------------------------Land Sea Air
Space-------------------------------
----------- Sponsors Partners------------ Gov
NSF, NASA, USAF, NOAA,USGS Ind Lockheed, CSA,
Mitsubishi, BMW Univ Stanford, Wash U, UT
Austin Non-Profit CSGC, MBARI, IEEE, MTS
--Field Operation for Real-World Missions--
--------------- Real Mission Data
Products---------------
- Applications- Geology Biology Land
Mngmnt Remote Sensing Archeology
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Multi-Robot Systems - Introduction

• Selected RSL multi-robot projects

Land Rovers for Transport
Sea ROVs for Filming Air Planes
for Imaging
Space Satellite Formation Test
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Project 1 Formation Flying Aircraft

• 3-student 2005 project
• Added sensors, pan/tilt camera, digital and video
  comms, microcontrollers, and commercial autopilot
  to RC aircraft
• Developed follow-the-leader formation flying,
  auto take-off and landing
• Approved for UAV flight in FAA Class D airspace
• 3rd in AUVSI International Graduate UAV Contest

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Project 2 Coordinated Rover Navigation

• 5-student 2005 project
• Added sensors, digital comm, microcontrollers
  to commercial chasses
• Integrated Matlab controllers and demonstrated
  cluster control navigation
• 3 of these students used system for grad thesis
  work 1 PhD and 3 Masters theses in progress
  using this system
• Basis of new NSF project in multi-robot navigation

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Project 3 Coordinated Object Transportation

• 4 student 2004 project and 5 student 2005 project
• Team1 Developed 2 velocity-controlled omnidriven
  chasses
• Team 2 Developed gripper stages and controller
  for object transport with no transmission of
  forces/torques
• Overhead vision system has been added for
  tracking
• System has supported 4 Masters theses and a PhD
  project is about to begin

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Student Learning

• Learning outcomes
• Interdisciplinary design teams include mech,
  elec, comp engineers
• Full-lifecycle exposure students involved from
  design through field operation
• Tools students learn modern design and analysis
  tools to support projects
• Techniques students practice project man.,
  systems eng., concurrent design
• Themes for success
• Real-world missions
• New technology development with potential for
  research
• Pro-active oversight and mentoring
• Challenges
• Faculty attention on undergrad projects
  (detracting from other duties)
• Resources for supporting such a program
• How do we integrate our program to address these
  challenges?

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Academic Framework Field Robotics
Education / Science / Technology Customers
Mission Objectives
Technology Objectives
Technology Development
Mission Development
Robotic Systems
Field Operation
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Academic Framework Field Robotics
Education / Science / Technology Customers
Mission Objectives
Technology Objectives
Design Education Opportunities and Impact
Education is Comprehensive, Team-Based, and
Hands-on
Research Opportunities and Impact Research is
Well-Grounded and Attracts Grad Students
Technology Development
Mission Development
Robotic Systems
Field Operation
Mission Science Services Impact
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Academic Framework Field Robotics
Education / Science / Technology Customers
Mission Objectives
Technology Objectives
Design Education Opportunities and Impact
Education is Comprehensive, Team-Based, and
Hands-on
Research Opportunities and Impact Research is
Well-Grounded and Attracts Grad Students
Technology Development
Mission Development
Robotic Systems
- Integrative research education -
Undergraduate research - Stimulation of grad
school interest - Industry/gov/academic
collaborations
Field Operation
Mission Science Services Impact
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Academic Framework Field Robotics
Education / Science / Technology Customers
Funding Opportunities
Mission Objectives
Technology Objectives
Design Education Opportunities and Impact
Education is Comprehensive, Team-Based, and
Hands-on
Research Opportunities and Impact Research is
Well-Grounded and Attracts Grad Students
Technology Development
Mission Development
Robotic Systems
Infrastructure for Courses Future Missions
- Integrative research education -
Undergraduate research - Stimulation of grad
school interest - Industry/gov/academic
collaborations
Field Operation
Mission Science Services Impact
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Summary Conclusions

• SCU field robotics program
• Robotic systems built for land, sea, air, and
  space missions
• Cradle to grave design and operation of systems
• Numerous collaborators/sponsors from industry,
  academia, government
• Undergraduate Capstone Projects in Multi-Robot
  Systems
• Formation aircraft, cooperative rover navigation,
  cooperative object transport
• Each a remarkable achievement for an
  undergraduate team
• Academic Framework
• Exciting opportunities enabling undergraduate
  educational excellence
• To attract and justify investment in these
  projects, they are leveraged such thatthe
  resulting robotic systems are used
• As research testbeds for graduate research
• As primary field systems for real-world science
  and technology missions