Artificial Intelligence for Robot Navigation

We are developing the technology for navigating multiple robots through complex, unstructured environments. This includes over coral reefs, through forests and into caves. It also includes managed environments like mines, construction sites and paddocks.

Our mission is to support safe autonomous navigation through areas that are vegetated, unstable, slippery or subject to dynamics such as ocean currents. We build on our established work in Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (WildCat), and our Navigation software system (Navstack) to research and develop techniques to cope with these difficult environmental conditions, and to support the efficient use of multiple robots where available.

For aquatic and marine applications we have a growing capability in seafloor mapping using our inflatable surface vessel and underwater towed glider. This autonomously conforms to the seafloor or reef, while providing high resolution multi-camera data from close range. This dual-vehicle configuration is ideal for surveys of seafloors, particularly for monitoring biodiversity.