Adaptive Ocean Sampling and Prediction

Dr. Fumin Zhang
Asst. Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, GIT

Date: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Room: PARB 239

Abstract

The ocean, the cradle of civilization, is constantly studied by mankind. Recent developments in robotics, sensor technology, and control systems have furthered the quest for a sustainable and portable autonomous ocean sampling network. The adaptive sampling and prediction program (ASAP) is an integration of research efforts in underwater robotics, ocean modeling, and cooperative control. We employ underwater gliders, a class of long endurance underwater vehicles, as mobile sensor platforms to survey the ocean. The glider fleet is coordinated in order to minimize uncertainties in the measurements. The collected data is assimilated into ocean models that provide real-time analysis and predictions of ocean states. Cooperative control and collaborative sensing are fundamental building blocks for the success of ASAP missions. We address two aspects of the mission design problem: coverage and feature tracking. Motion planning strategies are developed for both aspects. The underlying control laws for motion planning are inspired by swarming behaviors of marine animals. We have developed a software infrastructure to implement the control laws on underwater gliders, and to allow adaptations to severe sea conditions. We present recent experimental results that demonstrate the effectiveness of the control laws and the software infrastructure.

Presenter Bio

Fumin Zhang is currently an assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Before joining Georgia Tech, he was a lecturer and postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University. He obtained a Ph.D. degree from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park where he also worked for the Institute for Systems Research. His B.S. and M.S. degrees, both in Electrical Engineering, are from Tsinghua University in Beijing. He is a member of IEEE, AIAA, SIAM and NYAS. His research interests include sustainable motion and sensing for systems in complex environments, long endurance robotic sensor platforms, collaborative exploration and geometric system theory.