Authors
Benjamin Morrell, Rohan Thakker, Àngel Santamaria Navarro, Amanda Bouman, Xiaoming Lei, Jeffrey Edlund, Torkom Pailevanian, Tiago Stegun Vaquero, Yun Lin Chang, Thomas Touma, Johnny Alexander Tamayo Arias, Gustavo J Correa, Henrik Leopold, Hovhannes Melikyan, Hnuyok Choi, Giovanni Beltrame, Jack Burdick
Publication date
2022/3/10
Journal
Field robotics
Volume
2
Pages
1432-1506
Description
This paper presents and discusses algorithms, hardware, and software architecture developed by the TEAM CoSTAR (Collaborative SubTerranean Autonomous Robots), competing in the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. Specifically, it presents the techniques utilized within the Tunnel (2019) and Urban (2020) competitions, where CoSTAR achieved second and first place, respectively. We also discuss CoSTAR’s demonstrations in Martian-analog surface and subsurface (lava tubes) exploration. The paper introduces our autonomy solution, referred to as NeBula (Networked Belief-aware Perceptual Autonomy). NeBula is an uncertainty-aware framework that aims at enabling resilient and modular autonomy solutions by performing reasoning and decision making in the belief space (space of probability distributions over the robot and world states). We discuss various components of the NeBula framework, including (i) geometric and semantic environment mapping, (ii) a multi-modal positioning system, (iii) traversability analysis and local planning, (iv) global motion planning and exploration behavior, (v) risk-aware mission planning, (vi) networking and decentralized reasoning, and (vii) learning-enabled adaptation. We discuss the performance of NeBula on several robot types (e.g., wheeled, legged, flying), in various environments. We discuss the specific results and lessons learned from fielding this solution in the challenging courses of the DARPA Subterranean Challenge competition.
Total citations
20222023202431215