ARMS (Autonomous Robots for Military Systems): A Survey of Collaborative Robotics Core Technologies and Their Military Applications

Abstract

The military forces of the future will use multi-agent robotic workforces for reconnaissance and surveillance, logistics and support, communications infrastructure, forward-deployed offensive operations, and as tactical decoys to conceal maneuver by manned assets. Towards this end, there is a clear and definite need for optimal, or pareto-optimal, multi-robot control strategies in the synthesis, design, implementation, and fielding of autonomous and semi-autonomous teams of combat robots for military systems. Proven coordination methods are essential to enable interactions with in dynamic and hostile environments, synchronized maneuvers, sensible and robust rules of engagement (ROE), and reliable field behavior. This paper surveys the state-of-the art in autonomous multi-robot work systems and investigates the relative strengths and weaknesses of each of approach with respect to military applications. Further, it outlines guidance for future research directions and new capabilities that could provide the scalability, robustness, and flexibility necessary for the production of combat-worthy robotic forces. From this survey, we have concluded that current multi-robot coordination and cooperation architectures alone are not fully sufficient to handle the scale and scope of future combat - that new methods and design approaches (potentially ones currently under development) will be required to provide the foundation for the realization of military-grade robotic workforces needed for combat by 2010 FCS field deployment deadline.