Print version

MAGIC 2010: Super-smart robots wanted for international challenge

In conjunction with the attached Figures 1 & 2, which graphically represent a potential challenge area (together with OOI and non-combatants) the following describes a possible scenario. The pre-briefing and rehearsal sessions are assumed to have already taken place.

11.1 Preparation by Challenge Support Staff:

Static OOI will be deployed inside and outside buildings prior to the commencement of the 3.5 hour challenge. Mobile OOI and non-combatants will start manoeuvring through the streets, or may already be located in buildings.

11.2 Challenge Start: The judges will call “start.”

11.3 Teams Create an Operational Picture for Planning:

Based on information from the simulated UAV feed, teams might generate a registered overhead situational awareness picture containing the location and activity of any potential mobile OOI relative to the known infrastructure of the challenge area and any other a priori information provided by facilitators during the pre-briefing session, such as building access points.

11.4 Initial Planning for First Challenge Phase:

Using this aerial situational awareness picture, autonomous mission planning and task allocation software might generate mission guidance for the UGV collective such that the finite resources of the UGV cooperative are tasked to explore and map the challenge area to locate, track, recognise, identify and neutralise** OOI. The guidance might be optimised based on constraints such as: the location, orientation and type of terrain, accessible buildings and OOI present within the environment; the observed and potential motion of OOI; the robustness of the proposed solution to OOI and/or environmental uncertainties; the need to enter buildings; the individual capabilities of the participating UGVs; the benefits that derive from the association of UGVs into teams; communications or sensor scheduling requirements between the UGVs to enable this cooperation; any “no-go” or “difficult-to-go” zones; the need to manage power and access to servicing zones; UGV safety and deconfliction requirements; the prospect of losing particular classes of UGVs; the need to continually monitor specific areas or access points for other UGVs to carry out their missions, etc.

11.5 UGVs Begin Executing Plan:

The sensor UGVs might then begin to explore their environment, searching for static and mobile OOI inside and outside buildings. As the sensor UGVs progressively explore and map their environment the aerial and ground situational awareness views could be fused to provide a single, more complete picture.This information might also be fused and integrated with applications such as geospatial information, track data, imagery and visualisation tools to provide enhanced situational awareness to the team leader.

11.6 OOI Detection:

A sensor UGV might autonomously detect a static OOI and coordinate with a disruptor UGV to neutralise** it. Based on the simulated UAV feed, another sensor UGV might be cross-cued to approach a potential mobile OOI and, while remaining at a safe distance, discriminate it from a non-combatant. Once this UGV has performed this task, it might then continue to track and possibly pursue the mobile OOI while simultaneously disseminating this information throughout the cooperative in order to task other sensor UGVs to confirm its identity and location for the purposes of neutralisation. While either or both of these activities are taking place a mobile OOI or a non-combatant may be detected by a sensor UGV (or the UAV) having emerged from a location previously unobservable by the cooperative’s sensors. The system might then respond by autonomously and dynamically re-tasking all of the UGVs, re-calculating their objectives, re-directing payload activity based on the automatic manipulation and fusion of the data in order to classify the nature of the OOI and its trajectory.  Alternatively, a series of feasible options might be presented to the operators who might select one.

11.7 Communications Network Dropout:

A UGV might detect that it is losing communications with its operators and/or other UGVs and another UGV might be tasked autonomously to act as a temporary radio relay station. Alternatively, a UGV might be lost to enemy sniper fire or a static or mobile OOI that it did not detect. The cooperative might then be autonomously re-tasked to accommodate the loss of this unit.

11.8 Phase Completion:

Over time, the UGV cooperative might progressively explore and map the entire phase area, ensuring that static and mobile OOI are neutralised**. When teams believe they have fully explored and mapped all of the phase area (inside and outside buildings) and detected, recognised, classified and neutralised** (as appropriate) all OOI the team leader will notify the judges that the phase is complete.

11.9 Servicing of Vehicles:

All UGVs, including the frozen ones, may then be “unfrozen” and manoeuvred to the DSL/DSZ for servicing within either the DSL or the newly achieved DSZ. The team leader might also request that organizers collect some of the UGVs that have unexpectedly stopped working so that they may be serviced in the DSZ.. Alternatively, teams may immediately task some or all of their UGVs to continue
with the next phase without servicing.

11.10 Successive Phases:

The next phase can be expected to be more complex than the previous one. For example, the number of OOI may increase, their location may be more difficult to detect and the environments may become more navigationally complex and cluttered.

See Figures 1 and 2.

** Please note: Neutralise - does not imply weaponise