Battlefield Robot Cybernation and Navigation

Abstract

Abstract : This report describes a paradigm of battlefield robot cybernation and presents, within that paradigm, a navigation technique for such robots. The navigation technique is an algorithm for route planning in an open terrain that contains areas with different characteristics, such as navigation speed or level of threat. Optimal routes for battlefield robots in such a terrain are task specific: for instance, the fastest route, the safest route, a hidden route, a combination of the three, etc. The robot route planning in this report is based on a granulation of the space-time world of the robot The terrain map is represented by a rectangular mesh, and terrain properties are specified as average properties for each cell. The robot's position is assumed to be in the center of a cell, and its movements are restricted from one cell center to one of the eight neighbor cell centers. The algorithm for finding optimal routes in the granulated terrain uses Huygens' principle of wave propagation and provides a complete solution for the navigation problem. This report presents the navigation technique for a stationary destination and fixed terrain, but, because of its simplicity, it can be easily adapted to follow moving destination points and accommodate changing environments.