Detection of nuclear spills using swarm optimization algorithms
First Claim
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1. At a robotic device, a method for searching for a radiation source, the method comprising:
- measuring a concentration of radioactive particles;
determining a luciferin value based at least in part on the measured concentration of radioactive particles;
determining a number of other robotic devices that comprise a neighbor set of robotic devices; and
based on the determined luciferin value and the determined number of other robotic devices that comprise the neighbor set, operating in a Chemotactic state, an Anemotactic state, or a Spiraling state,wherein operating in the Chemotactic state comprises the robotic device (a) assigning a probability value to each given robotic device in the neighbor set of robotic devices, each assigned probability value being based on the difference between a luciferin value broadcast by the given robotic device and the determined luciferin value, (b) the robotic device selecting, based on the assigned probability values, a given robotic device from among the neighbor set of robotic devices, and (c) the robotic device taking a step toward a location of the selected robotic device,wherein operating in the Anemotactic state comprises the robotic device making a determination that a current wind has a speed greater than a threshold wind speed and responsively taking a step in the opposite direction of the wind, andwherein operating in the Spiraling state comprises the robotic device taking a step along a substantially spiraled path.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for localizing a radiation or chemical source utilizing a swarm of robotic devices. According to one example, a robotic device will attempt to localize a source by measuring the concentration of source particles in air, and operating in a Chemotactic state, an Anemotactic state, or a Spiraling state.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. At a robotic device, a method for searching for a radiation source, the method comprising:
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measuring a concentration of radioactive particles; determining a luciferin value based at least in part on the measured concentration of radioactive particles; determining a number of other robotic devices that comprise a neighbor set of robotic devices; and based on the determined luciferin value and the determined number of other robotic devices that comprise the neighbor set, operating in a Chemotactic state, an Anemotactic state, or a Spiraling state, wherein operating in the Chemotactic state comprises the robotic device (a) assigning a probability value to each given robotic device in the neighbor set of robotic devices, each assigned probability value being based on the difference between a luciferin value broadcast by the given robotic device and the determined luciferin value, (b) the robotic device selecting, based on the assigned probability values, a given robotic device from among the neighbor set of robotic devices, and (c) the robotic device taking a step toward a location of the selected robotic device, wherein operating in the Anemotactic state comprises the robotic device making a determination that a current wind has a speed greater than a threshold wind speed and responsively taking a step in the opposite direction of the wind, and wherein operating in the Spiraling state comprises the robotic device taking a step along a substantially spiraled path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer readable storage medium (CRM) having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform functions, the functions comprising:
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determining a luciferin value based on a measured concentration of radioactive particles; determining a number of robotic devices that comprise a neighbor set of robotic devices; based on the determined luciferin value and the determined number of robotic devices that comprise a neighbor set of robotic devices, determining to operate in one of; (i) a Chemotactic state in which the computing device at least causes a specific robotic device to; assign a probability value to each given robotic device in the neighbor set of robotic devices, each assigned probability value being based on the difference between a luciferin value broadcast by the given robotic device and the determined luciferin value, select, based on the assigned probability values, a given robotic device from among the neighbor set of robotic devices, and take a step toward a location of the selected robotic device, (ii) an Anemotactic state in which the computing device at least causes the specific robotic device to make a determination that a current wind has a speed greater than a threshold wind speed and responsively taking a step in the opposite direction of the wind, and (iii) a Spiraling state in which the computing device at least causes the robotic device to move in a direction along a substantially spiraled path; operating in the Chemotactic state; operating in the Anemotactic state; and operating in the Spiraling state. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A robotic device comprising:
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a computing device; memory storage coupled to the computing device; and instructions stored in the memory storage, which when executed by the computing device, cause the robotic device to carry out functions, the functions comprising; measuring a concentration of radioactive particles; determining a luciferin value based at least in part on the measured concentration of radioactive particles; determining a number of other robotic devices that comprise a neighbor set of robotic devices; based on the determined luciferin value and the determined number of robotic devices that comprise a neighbor set of robotic devices, operating in a Chemotactic state; based on the determined luciferin value and the determined number of robotic devices that comprise a neighbor set of robotic devices, operating in an Anemotactic state; and based on the determined luciferin value and the determined number of robotic devices that comprise a neighbor set of robotic devices, operating in a Spiraling state, wherein operating in the Chemotactic state comprises the robotic device;
assigning a probability value to each given robotic device in the neighbor set of robotic devices, each assigned probability value being based on the difference between a luciferin value broadcast by the given robotic device and the determined luciferin value, selecting, based on the assigned probability values, a given robotic device from among the neighbor set of robotic devices, and taking a step toward a location of the selected robotic device,wherein operating in the Anemotactic state comprises the robotic device making a determination that a current wind has a speed greater than a threshold wind speed and responsively taking a step in the opposite direction of the wind, and wherein operating in the Spiraling state comprises the robotic device moving in a direction along a substantially spiraled path. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification