N6833523C0709

Small Technology Transfer Research Program (STTR) Phase I

Autonomous Swarming Hierarchies (ASH)

Collaborative Multi-Robot Systems by RF-Optical-Quantum Ultra-Low Latency Wireless Networking

Boston Fusion Corp. and the Cyber-Physical Systems Laboratory at Rutgers University propose Autonomous Swarming Hierarchies (ASH), a platform-agnostic multi-robot system (MRS) design software suite with three components: 1) a coordination module (CASH) that uses artificial intelligence/machine learning to automatically generate control policies for the robots comprising the system, 2) a networking module (NASH) that automatically synthesizes the MRS cyber topology, while enforcing connectivity constraints, modalities, encoding options, etc., and 3) an optimization module (OASH) that uses an optimization engine to search for the best physical and logical robot configurations that meet specific performance bounds. With CASH, a user can train an MRS to best coordinate the accomplishment of a mission; however, the user needs to specify a priori the types of robots in the system, their software configuration, and the system's cyber topology. With CASH and NASH together, the user still needs to specify the types of robots that comprise the system, but the cyber topology is automatically synthesized. If OASH is also enabled, the types of robots or their software configuration will be optimized for the desired mission. ASH's modularity affords maximum flexibility in MRS mission design and deployment.

The goal of phase I is to establish the technical merit, feasibility, and commercial potential of proposed R&D efforts and determine the quality of performance of the small business awardee organization. STTRs are completed in conjunction with a research institution.

Rutgers, The University of New Jersey

N23B-T031

N23B-T031-0029

23.B

Richard Salvage