RI: Small: RUI: Shark Tracking with Multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

该项目正在制定水下声学跟踪战略，以定位和跟踪具有长距离洄游路径的特定标记鲨鱼物种。该项目的一个独特之处在于，接收器将搭载在一组自主水下航行器（AUV）上，使它们能够合作估计鲨鱼的位置，从而使AUV能够持续跟踪和跟踪鲨鱼。AUV小组的机动性和根据鲨鱼的运动修改自己路径的能力使其能够获得现场测量结果，而这些测量结果无法从通常用于监测鲨鱼行为的静态接收器系统中获得。 由于其跨学科性质，该项目将在工程（AUV自主和控制）和生物科学（鲨鱼行为特征，生活史和栖息地利用）方面做出贡献。正在开发新的状态估计方法。一个关键，以创建一个成功的估计，这一应用程序将纳入鲨鱼运动的运动学和动力学模型。考虑到追踪可以高速移动的鲨鱼的困难，新的控制策略也是必要的。跟踪控制器通常不考虑保持间隔距离的额外约束，以确保AUV不会影响鲨鱼的行为。进行鲨鱼跟踪实验的最终目标将是同类实验中的第一个。此外，许多优点将来自实验产生的实际数据。具体而言，该项目中的工程是由确定当地海洋环境变量（例如温度，流速）和鲨鱼行为（例如迁移路径选择，栖息地使用）之间的关系的目标驱动的。虽然对鲨鱼的生理和行为有相当多的了解，但对鲨鱼的运动及其在不同行为中的相关能量使用没有精细的时间尺度研究。这项工作包括开发新的AUV采样技术，可以推广和应用于研究各种形式的海洋生物，除了生态贡献外，这项研究还适用于与安全海洋航行有关的其他任务，国土安全部和军方

This project is developing underwater acoustic tracking strategies for locating and tracking particular species of tagged sharks that have long distance migratory paths. A unique aspect of this project is that receivers will be onboard a team of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV), enabling them to cooperatively estimate the shark position, thereby allowing the AUVs to track and follow the shark for sustained periods of time. The AUV team's mobility and ability to modify its own path in response to shark movement allows it to obtain in-situ measurements that cannot be obtained from static receiver systems typically used for monitoring shark behavior. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, this project will make contributions in both Engineering (AUV autonomy and control) and Biological Sciences (shark behavior characterization, life history, and habitat utilization). New approaches to state estimation are being developed. A key to creating a successful estimator for this application will be incorporating kinematic and dynamic models of shark locomotion. Novel control strategies are also necessary given the difficulty of tracking sharks that can travel at high speed. Tracking controllers don't typically consider the additional constraint of maintaining a separation distance to ensure the AUV doesn't affect shark behavior. The end goal of conducting shark tracking experiments will be the first of its kind. Additionally, much merit will be derived from the actual data the experiments yield. Specifically, the engineering within this project is driven by the goal of determining the relationships between local ocean environment variables (e.g. temperatures, current velocities) and shark behavior (e.g. migration path choices, habitat use). While there is considerable knowledge of shark physiology and behavior, there are no fine scale time studies of shark motion and its associated energy use within different behaviors.This work includes developing new AUV sampling technologies that can be generalized and applied to studying various forms of marine life, and in addition to the ecological contributions, the research is applicable to other tasks associated with safe marine navigation, homeland security, and the military.