DARPA's Angler: Underwater Robot Wonder

Long Duration & Long Distance Sea Duty

Source:  DARPA - The Angler

Autonomous with No Need of GPS
DARPA, the Pentagon's Advanced Research Projects Agency, is applying robotics developed for space and terrestrial exploring robots to a new undersea robotic system.  It's called The Angler.

The Angler
DARPA is developing an underwater robotic system that autonomously explores the sea floor.  It wants the robot to be capable of physically manipulating manmade objects that it encounters.  Put simply, it's developing highly advanced underwater robots.

Robotic Innovation
Some of the robotic innovations that will be incorporated into these sea exploring robots:
  • Highly accurate navigations where's there is no GPS
  • Perception and manipulation strategies to grasp objects
  • Systems that allow the robot to know their location and the health of their own system.
Current Limits
Currently underwater operations are conducted by tethered, remotely controlled robots.  They're limited by connections to manned ships and by limited communications where GPS and wireless bandwidth don't work.

Goal
The goal is for the underwater robots to conduct long distance, long duration missions without GPS and human intervention.  DARPA is working to develop the hardware and software for the robots' autonomy, underwater navigation, sensing and object manipulation

For more news on robotics, DARPA and innovation, go to my colleague Ed Kane's Amazon Author Page at amazon.com/author/ekane



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