Invention:
The Dynamically Deployed Communication Network paradigm (DDCN) lays a foundation for a distributed, fully integrated multi-agent system that has operational autonomy for the exploration of treacherous surface regions (valleys, craters, lava flows, etc.), subsurface cavities (caves, lava tubes, etc.), and potentially bodies of water (lakes, oceans, etc.).
One or more robotic exploration agents maintain communications with a base rover via the interconnected mesh network formed of individual communication nodes. These nodes are autonomously deployed from an exploration agent during region reconnaissance and are reusable by the same agents.
Background:
Mesh communication networks are local area networks in which the infrastructure connects directly and non-hierarchically to as many other nodes as possible to move data. By using reusable communication nodes to create the mesh network, the innovators reveal a dynamic system that can change shape.
The implication of this innovation is a new opportunity to explore undiscovered parts of the Earth and the solar system at large. Creating a dynamic communication network for robotic or manned exploration offers many benefits, but at the top of the list is the independence and autonomy of a reconfigurable network that can operate in extreme environments.
Applications:
- Treacherous surface region exploration
- Subsurface cavity exploration
- Underwater exploration
Advantages:
- Dynamic
- Reusable
- Independent
