LANdroids is a DARPA program to develop small, autonomous robotic radio relay nodes that can be dropped by warfighters in urban settings. These devices can move to form and maintain dynamic mesh communication networks and will be capable of self-healing and self-configuration in complex, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environments. The primary technical barriers that have prevented operation capabilities as defined by LANdroids are the complexities of urban radio propagation characteristics further exacerbated by the uncertainty in dynamics of the environment (warfighter mobility and dynamic obstacles), and the lack of research in low complexity, low message overhead cost, distributed decision making algorithms that exploit mobility for network optimization.
Intelligent Automation's team, including Carnegie Mellon University, University of Southern California and University of Texas at Austin, developed the control software for DARPA's LANdroid robot vehicles. The primary objective of our system is to provide LANdroids with capabilities for autonomous self-configuration, self-optimization, self-healing, tethering and intelligent power management. IAI’s ARTeMUS systems provide revolutionary capabilities for the warfighter to maintain communications and reach back in a NLOS/urban environment. It will enable the deployment of a low cost, robust, and agile temporary networking infrastructure to support the warfighter.
