KFU to create data exchange protocol for disaster relief robots

Evgeni Magid, Chair of the Department of Intelligent Robotics, became one of the grant recipients of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences.

The grant is given to young PhD candidates or postdoctoral fellows for the purpose of defense of their doctoral dissertation and research work.

The research will involve the creation and experimental validation of a new application layer protocol for data exchange between mobile robots of different types to enable efficient operation in emergency situations and facilitate group tasks within tight deadlines.

“In areas of natural and man-made disasters, robots are increasingly being used for search and rescue operations. Mobile robots have shown particular effectiveness in emergency response in urban environments. The new protocol takes into account the advantages, disadvantages and implementation difficulties encountered by the previously proposed versions,” said Dr Magid.

It is planned to emphasize the diversity of sensors, communication devices and principles of movement of modern robots, to provide for different types of commands and messages at the design stage, so that search and rescue teams with different levels of technical expertise and equipment can work with mobile robots even in conditions of increased load on the radio airwaves.

Mobile robots from the Laboratory of Robotics Engineering Education – the Russian robot Servosila Engineer, Aurora Junior, ArtBul and others – will be used to test the protocol. The results of the project will serve as a basis for a dissertation research on methodology of robotization of search and rescue operations.