SENSOR MIDDLEWARE SYSTEMS AND AGENTS WITH SENSOR MIDDLEWARE SYSTEMS

An agent for performing a mission function is provided. The agent includes at least one sensor for collecting data related to the mission function; and a sensor middleware system. The sensor middleware system includes a physical interface module including at least one socket for receiving the at least one sensor, a fault tolerance and sensor fusion module coupled to the physical interface, the fault tolerance and sensor fusion module configured to detect faults in the at least one sensor, and a mission services module coupled to the physical interface module and including algorithms for performing the mission function based on the data from the at least one sensor.