Vehicle-command center communications in a robotic vehicle system

The U.S. Army Laboratory Command is developing a testbed for cooperative, real-lime control of multiple land vehicles from a remotely located command center. The system requires the development and integration of a variety of elements which allow the vehicles to perform autonomously and under supervisory and teleoperated control. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is supporting this program by designing the overall system control architecture based on experience gained in developing hierarchial control systems in robotics and automated manufacturing. This paper analyzes the characteristics of the communication link between the vehicle and the remote command center. Areas addressed include the communication technology, the information content and required rates, the control system communication requirements, communications support of the development effort and examination of available standards.