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The development of a bio-inspired magnetoelectrosensory navigation system

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
Navy 		Award ID:
90318 		Program Year/Program:
2010 / STTR
Agency Tracking Number:
N09A-024-0007 		Solicitation Year:
2009 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N09-T024 		Solicitation Number:
2009.A
Small Business Information
Kinea Design, LLC
1711-1 Darrow Ave Evanston, IL 60201-
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 2
Fiscal Year: 2010
Title: The development of a bio-inspired magnetoelectrosensory navigation system
Agency / Branch: DOD / NAVY
Contract: N00014-10-C-0420
Award Amount: $740,163.00
 

Abstract:

Many aquatic creatures transduce magnetic and electric fields for navigation cues and feedback control. Such sensing capabilities would greatly advance AUV technology. We will continue the co-design of sensing and motion capabilities along with empowering algorithms for underwater perception and navigation. We have made significant advancements in active electrosense and inductive-magnetosense in Phase I, and we will continue to improve its capabilities by employing low-noise digital electronics. We will also investigate the imaging of nearby spatial electrical impedance using a new architecture of active electrosense. We will develop new algorithms for exploration, feature classification, and navigation without a sensor map. The new hardware and algorithms will be demonstrated on a 6 degree-of-freedom fully-automated gantry. Stereotyped motions emerging from the exploration algorithms in the gantry test bed will give insight to desirable motion capabilities for an AUV with electrosense. Evolution suggests that the propulsion system of the weakly electric fish be an excellent complement to electrosense. Thus, we will build and test a robot with a ventral ribbon fin and pectoral dive planessimilar to the propulsion system of weakly electric fishwith an integrated electrosensory system for closed-loop control.

Principal Investigator:

Malcolm MacIver
Assistant Professor
(847) 491-3540
maciver@northwestern.edu

Business Contact:

Michael Peshkin
President
(847) 491-4630
peshkin@kineadesign.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

Kinea Design, LLC
1711-1 Darrow Ave Evanston, IL 60201-

EIN/Tax ID: 743099129
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
Research Institution Information:
Northwestern University
633 Clark Street
Evanston, IL 60208-1110
Contact: Susan G. Ross
Contact Phone: (847) 491-3003