Control of coordinated patterns for ocean sampling

View/ Open
Date
2007Author
Zhang, Fumin
Fratantoni, David M.
Paley, Derek A.
Lund, John M.
Leonard, Naomi Ehrich
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
A class of underwater vehicles are modelled as Newtonian particles for navigation and control. We show a general method that controls
cooperative Newtonian particles to generate patterns on closed smooth curves. These patterns are chosen for good sampling performance
using mobile sensor networks. We measure the spacing between neighbouring particles by the relative curve phase along the curve. The
distance between a particle and the desired curve is measured using an orbit function. The orbit value and the relative curve phase are then used as feedback to control motion of each particle. From an arbitrary initial configuration, the particles converge asymptotically
to form an invariant pattern on the desired curves. We describe application of this method to control underwater gliders in a field
experiment in Buzzards Bay, MA in March 2006.