Organizational Model for Cooperative and Sustaining Robotic Ecologies

Abstract

Introduction The use of robots to explore space has many advantages over using humans for the same task. However, a shortcoming of exploration using robotic entities has been the lack of ability to create sustainable teams with enough flexibility to perform numerous tasks, provide a high-level of versatility, and work as a cooperative team to satisfy mission critical goals. The ability for a robotic colony to create and sustain itself, in the long-term, in a planetary or space environment, will require the flexibility to reorganize and reform itself to meet and overcome continuous, unforeseen challenges. Our research deals with the development of an organizational model and implementation that allows a robotic team to continuously pursue mission goals. While working through tasks to accomplish the goal(s), the team will examine its current operational state and decide whether goal satisfaction can occur by utilizing the current organization or if a more efficient organization, consist