Experiments with Robots and Sensor Networks for Mapping and Navigation

In this paper we describe experiments with networks of robots and sensors in support of search and rescue and first response operations. The system we consider includes a network of Mica Mote sensors that can monitor temperature, light, and the movement of the structure on which they rest. We also consider an extension to chemical sensing in simulation only. An ATRV-Mini robot is extended with a Mote sensor and a protocol that allows it to interact with the network. We present algorithms and experiments for aggregating global maps in sensor space and using these maps for navigation. The sensor experiments were performed outdoors as part of a Search and Rescue exercise with practitioners in the field.