4D-RCS Reference Model Architecture: Difference between revisions

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The '''4D/RCS Reference Model Architecture''' is a [[reference model]] for military [[unmanned vehicle]]s on how their [[software]] components should be identified and organized.

4D/RCS has been developed by the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] (NIST). It is based on the general [[Real-time Control System]] (RCS) Reference Model Architecture , and has been applied to many kinds of robot control, including autonomous vehicle control<ref name="Albus06"> Albus, J.S. et al. (2006). "[http://www.nist.gov/cgi-bin//get_pdf.cgi?pub_id=822702 Learning in a Hierarchical Control System: 4D/RCS in the DARPA LAGR Program]". NIST June 26, 2006. in: ''ICINCO 06 - International Conference in Control, Automation and Robotics, Setubal, Portugal, August 2006''</ref>.

== Overview ==

4D/RCS is a reference model architecture that provides a theoretical foundation for designing, engineering, integrating intelligent systems software for [[unmanned ground vehicle]]s.<ref>Douglas Whitney Gage (2004). ''Mobile robots XVII: 26-2826–28 October, 2004, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA''. ‎Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers. page 35.</ref>

[[File:4D-RCS control loop fundamental structure.jpg|thumb|320px|left|Fundamental structure of a 4D/RCS control loop.]]

According to Balakirsky (2003) 4D/RCS is an example of deliberative [[agent architecture]]. These architectures "include all systems that plan to meet future goal or deadline. In general, these systems plan on a model of the world rather than planning directly on processed sensor output. This may be accomplished by real-time [[sensor]]s, [[A priori and a posteriori|a priori]] information, or a combination of the two in order to create a picture or snapshot of the world that is used to upfate a world model".<ref name="SBB03">S.B. Balakirsky (2003). ''A framework for planning with incrementally created graphs in attributed problem spaces''. IOS Press. ISBN 1586033700. p.10-11.</ref> The course of action of a deliberative agent architecture is based on the world model and the commanded mission goal, see image. This goal "may be a given system state or physical ___location. To meet the goal systems of this kind attempts to compute a path through a multi-dimensional space contained in the real world".<ref name="SBB03"/>

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The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Intelligent Systems Division (ISD) has been developing the [[RCS reference model architecture]] for over 30 years. 4D/RCS is the most recent version of RCS developed for the Army Research Lab Experimental Unmanned Ground Vehicle program. The 4D in 4D/RCS signifies adding time as another dimension to each level of the three dimensional (sensor processing, world modeling, behavior generation), hierarchical control structure. ISD has studied the use of 4D/RCS in defense mobility, transportation, robot cranes, manufacturing, and several other applications.<ref name="Albus06"/>

4D/RCS integrates the NIST Real-time Control System (RCS) architecture with the German (Universitat der Bundeswehr Munchen) [[Ernst Dickmanns|VaMoRs 4-D approach]] to dynamic machine vision. It incorporates many concepts developed under the U.S. Department of Defense Demo I, Demo II, and Demo III programs, which demonstrated increasing levels of robotic vehicle autonomy. The theory embodied in 4D/RCS borrows heavily from cognitive psychology, semiotics, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence.<ref name="Albus02"> Albus et al. (2002). ''4D-RCS A Reference Model Architecture For Unmanned Vehicle Systems Version 2.0''. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899Aug 2002.</ref>

Three [[United States Government|US Government]] funded military efforts known as Demo I (US Army), Demo II (DARPA), and Demo III ([[US Army]]), are currently underway. Demo III (2001)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/documents/albus/4DRCS.pdf |format=PDF|title=4-D/RCS reference model architecture for unmanned ground vehicles}}</ref> demonstrated the ability of unmanned ground vehicles to navigate miles of difficult off-road terrain, avoiding obstacles such as rocks and trees. [[James Albus]] at [[NIST]] provided the [[Real-time Control System]] which is a [[hierarchical control system]]. Not only were individual vehicles controlled (e.g. throttle, steering, and brake), but groups of vehicles had their movements automatically coordinated in response to high level goals.

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== Further reading ==

* Albus, J.S (1988). ''System Description and Design Architecture for Multiple Autonomous Undersea Vehicles''. NISTTN 1251, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, September 1988

* [[James S. Albus]] (2002). "[http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/documents/albus/4DRCS.pdf 4D/RCS A Reference Model Architecture for Intelligent Unmanned Ground Vehicles]". In: ''Proceedings of the SPIE 16th Annual International Symposium on Aerospace/Defense Sensing, Simulation and Controls, Orlando, FL, April 1 - 51–5, 2002''.

* James Albus et al. (2002). [http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/documents/albus/4DRCS_ver2.pdf ''4D/RCS: A Reference Model Architecture For Unmanned Vehicle Systems Version 2.2.''] NIST August 2002