NASA Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

levels of autonomous operation and reduced requirements for operator intervention.
DTIC
Autonomous Navigation; Robots
20040073618 Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego, CA
Protocols for Robot Communications: Transport and Content Layers
Harmon, Scott Y.; Gage, Douglas W.; Oct. 8, 1980; 11 pp.; In English
Report No.(s): AD-A422494; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A03, Hardcopy
Communications between cooperating robots can be facilitated by using suitable communications protocols. This paper
discusses many of the considerations that impact the form of such protocols, beginning with a primitive model of cooperating
robots and their interactions with each other and the external environment. Consideration is paid to the role of the robot’s
internal model of its world, to the different functions of communications between cooperating robots, and to relevant
characteristics of the communications environment. A layered protocol structure is presented, consisting of data transport
layers borrowed from computer networking technology and task independent and task dependent content layers. Finally, the
effects of the communications environment on this structure are discussed.
DTIC
Protocol (Computers); Robots; Telecommunication
20040073622 Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, CA
Internetting Tactical Security Sensor Systems
Gage, Douglas W.; Bryan, W D.; Nguyen, Hoa G.; Apr. 1998; 12 pp.; In English
Report No.(s): AD-A422499; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A03, Hardcopy
The Multipurpose Surveillance and Security Mission Platform (MSSMP) is a distributed network of remote sensing
packages and control stations, designed to provide a rapidly deployable, extended-range surveillance capability for a wide
variety of military security operations and other tactical missions. The baseline MSSMP sensor suite consists of a pan/tilt unit
with video and FLIR cameras and laser imageflnder. With an additional radio transceiver, MSSMP can also function as a
gateway between existing security/surveillance sensor systems such as TASS, TRSS, and IREMBASS, and IP-based networks,
to support the timely distribution of both threat detection and threat assessment information. The MSSMP system makes
maximum use of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) components for sensing, processing, and communications, and of both
established and emerging standard communications networking protocols and system integration techniques. Its use of
IP-based protocols allows it to freely interoperate with the Internet- providing geographic transparency, facilitating
development, and allowing fully distributed demonstration capability - and prepares it for integration with the IP-based tactical
radio networks that will evolve in the next decade. Unfortunately, the Internet’s standard Transport layer protocol, TCP, is
poorly matched to the requirements of security sensors and other quasi- autonomous systems in being oriented to conveying
a continuous data stream, rather than discrete messages. Also, its canonical "socket" interface both conceals short
losses of communications connectivity and simply gives up and forces the Application layer software to deal with longer
losses. For MSSMP, a software applique is being developed that will run on top of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) to provide
a reliable message-based Transport service.
DTIC
Security; Warfare; Warning Systems
20040073625 Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, CA
Minimum-Resource Distributed Navigation and Mapping
Gage, Douglas W.; Nov. 2000; 9 pp.; In English; Original contains color illustrations
Report No.(s): AD-A422502; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A02, Hardcopy
This paper proposes a conceptual design for a distributed system of very simple robots capable of performing a useful
real-world mission, such as mapping the interior of a building overnight with a swarm of hundreds of cockroach-sized robots.
Presentation of this concept follows a discussion of strategies for developing distributed robotic systems. Success is dependent
on making good decisions in selecting appropriate applications, in system design, and in executing the system development
process. Each robot includes basic mobility, crude odometry, contact or near-contact object/obstacle detection sensors, an
omnidirectional beacon (probably IR), and a beacon detection sensor that can simultaneously detect multiple beacons on other
robots and measure the bearing of each to less than one degree. Beacon triangulation (combined with knowledge of some
baseline distance) allows the determination of the position of any robot relative to the others. Occlusion of a robot’s beacon
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