Swarm Localization and Sensing – from Classroom to Future Space Exploration Missions

Presenter: Dr. Siwei Zhang, Institute of Communications and Navigation, German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Abstract: Robotic swarm is an emerging technology for rapidly sensing dynamic physical processes over large area both on Earth and in future space exploration missions. The nodes in swarm compose a self-organized radio network, providing precise time and position references without additional infrastructures like GPS or base stations. Each node is additionally equipped with environmental sensors, for example a photonic sensor to sense the illumination in caves beneath the lunar surface, a hydrogen sulfide sensor to explore the volcanic activities, or a methane sensor to track organic traces. More importantly, the swarm has a unique capability of formation optimization. Hence, nodes collaboratively choose their trajectories, so that the spatial-temporal information is gathered most efficiently.

At the German Aerospace Center (DLR), we design compact and portable nodes with ultra-wideband (UWB) technology for decentralized timing, position and environmental sensing. These nodes can be easily carried or deployed by robots and are thus suitable for technology demonstrations in space-analog missions. These nodes are also served as educational platforms, assisting high school through doctoral students to gain intuitions and in-depth knowledge in signal processing for communications, localization, decentralized estimation, sensor fusion, etc.

In this webinar,  Dr. Zhang will start with the fundamentals of swarm localization and sensing, then present the building steps of a swarm system, and finally showcase the usage of the swarm in DLR’s space-analog missions, for example on volcanos and in lava caves.

Register here