The Deployer robot will deploy and support teams of small, distributed robots (here called "joeys") in performing hazardous or tedious tasks. The Deployer has two roles: first to carry and launch a number of joey robots and second to command and control the robots once launched. This "robot-in-the-loop" idea augments the human-in-loop, eventually building a pyramid of robots supervised by a single person.

For expedience, the two goals - launching and command-and-control - will be treated independently, with different joey robots. The launched robots will be grenade-sized dummies that may be replaced by other robots developed under the DR program as they become available. In the meantime, command and control will be investigated using the larger robots developed for the sister SDR program (Software for Distributed Robotics - DARPA ITO). This enables us to fully leverage both the DR and SDR programs.

The program will develop algorithms that leverage the heterogeneous interaction between a "smart", highly mobile, deployment robot and the team of less mobile, less computationally powerful joeys. Key universal elements of deployment to examine are: Emplacement: launching and dynamically situating the joeys for mission goals. Operations: maintaining the infrastructure to support the distributed front, including communications and error detection and recovery (e.g., getting back on course after positional drift). Recovery: collecting the joey robots' data to analyze and pass back to the human operator in a useful format.

• Acquired and refitted two Urban Robot Upgrades for use as Deployers.

• Investigated five alternate launch strategies and selected one: grenade-barrel launch into 3-story building. The launcher will be equipped with a magazine to launch multiple robots and will be ejectable to preserve full Deployer mobility.

• Designed collapsible sensor mast for Deployer (for interaction with Joeys)

• Developed communications link (916 MHz) between Deployer and Joey robots

• Designed and built Joey robot prototype (for ultimate fabrication lot of 120 units under SDR program). Robot is approximately a 3-1/2" cube.

• Leveraged and adapted SDR Swarm software to control swarm of joey robots.

• Test launch energy of select propulsion mechanisms (C02 cartridges, 22 caliber shells, etc.)

• Build launch mechanism on-board first Deployer robot (Bandicoot)

• Build and install sensor mast on second Deployer robot (Wombat)

• Develop interaction protocols between Deployer and Joeys via RF.

• Develop interaction mechanisms and protocols between Deployer and Joeys via IR.

• Develop initial operator control unit (OCU) for human-deployer interface.

• Demonstrate at October '00 PI meeting.