4D-RCS Reference Model Architecture: Difference between revisions

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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[[Bundeswehr derUniversity Bundeswehrof MunchenMunich]]) [[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.