The students on the Honda team will develop a 2-D path planning/following algorithm for drones and unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) for both real world and simulation environments. They will extend their system to include a simulation platform and drone motion planner to achieve scalable harmonious navigation in a multi-robotic-system environment.
Abstract:
Honda is working comprehensively to address challenges in the areas of the environment and safety. Their research domain includes vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and automated vehicle research to enhance safety, mobility, and sustainability to a variety of road users such as drivers, pedestrians, and micromobility users/providers. Honda’s vision of a micromobility future involves robotic systems operating harmoniously in the air and on the ground. To achieve this, robotic systems must be able to communicate with one another and navigate environments while avoiding static and dynamic objects.
Students on the Honda team will develop a 2-D path planning/following algorithm for drones and unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) for both real world and simulation environments. Proximity will be determined through sensing and not perception (e.g., GPS, GPS with RTK, IMU). The team will develop a ROS simulation to demonstrate the viability of a multi-agent controls scheme (e.g., ground vehicle + 2 drones, 2 ground vehicles+ 3 drones, etc.).
Impact:
This project will advance the strategic research within the Honda Research Institute and prepare for complex, multi-agent autonomous unit interaction.
Wireless Communication, Sensor Suite Development (2 Students)
Specific Skills: Vehicle/Drone connectivity sensor suite development GPS, IMU, on board camera, WIFI.
Likely Majors: EE, ECE, CE, ROB
Navigation (2-3 Students)
Specific Skills: Path finding/Controls, location determination (3D), Proximity determination, GPS and IMU technologies.
Likely Majors: ROB, ECE , EE, CE, ME, Any with skills/experience
Multi Agent Controls (2-3 Students)
Specific Skills: Multi-agent control systems and simulations using ROS.
Please indicate any academic controls courses that you have completed or are currently registered in.
Likely Majors: ECE, ROB, EE, CE
Sponsor Mentor
Tyler Naes
After Receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Georgia Southern University, Tyler joined Honda as a research engineer. His research focuses on autonomous vehicle and micro-mobility applications. This is his third year participating in the Multidisciplinary Design Program.
Faculty Mentor
Alex Gorodetsky
Aerospace Engineering Department
Alex Gorodetsky is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering. His research interests include using applied mathematics and computational science to enhance autonomous decision making under uncertainty. He is especially interested in controlling systems, like autonomous aircraft, that must act in complex environments that are often represented by expensive computational simulations. Toward this goal, he pursues research in wide-ranging areas including uncertainty quantification, statistical inference, machine learning, numerical analysis, function approximation, control, and optimization.
Citizenship Requirements:
- This project is open to all students
- International students on an F-1 visa will be required to declare part-time CPT during Winter 2023 and Fall 2023 terms.
IP/NDA: Students will sign standard University of Michigan IP/NDA documents.
Internship/Summer Opportunity: Students will be guaranteed an interview for 2023 internships. Internships will be located at various Honda facilities in Michigan, Ohio, and LA. The interviews will take place in early 2023 at the Honda Research Institute Office in Ann Arbor.