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Bio-inspired swarming behaviors provide an effective decentralized way of coordinating robot teams. However, as robot swarms increase in size, bandwidth and time constraints limit the number of agents a human can communicate with and control. To facilitate scalable human interaction with large robot swarms it is desirable to monitor and influence the collective behavior of the entire swarm through limited interactions with a small subset of agents. However, it is also desirable to avoid situations where a small number of agent failures can adversely affect the collective behavior of the swarm. We present a bio-inspired model of swarming that exhibits distinct collective behaviors and affords limited human interaction to estimate and influence these collective behaviors. Using a simple naive Bayes classifier, we show that the global behavior of a swarm can be detected with high accuracy by sampling local information from a small number of agents. We also show that adding a bio-inspired form of quorum sensing to a swarm increases the scalability of human-swarm interactions and also provides an adjustable threshold on the swarm's vulnerability to agent failures.

In this thesis we propose methods and metrics for human interaction with bio-inspired robot teams. We refine the concept of a stakeholder and demonstrate how a human can use stakeholders to lead a swarm as well as switch the swarm between different collective behaviors. We extend the human interaction metrics of interaction time and interaction effort presented in [1] to swarm systems and introduce the concept of interaction effort. These metrics allow us to understand how well the system performs under human influence. We employ systems theory to estimate these metrics, which is useful because this can be done without performing user studies.

Origami-inspired design is an emerging field capable of producing compact and efficient designs. The object of a surrogate fold is to provide a fold-like motion in a non-paper material without undergoing yielding. Compliant mechanisms provide a means to achieve these objectives as large deflections are achieved. The purpose of this thesis is to present a summary of existing compliant joints suitable for use as surrogate folds. In doing so, motions are characterized which no existing compliant joint provides. A series of compliant joints is proposed which provides many of these motions. The possibility of patterning compliant joints to form an array is discussed. Arrays capable of producing interesting motions are noted.

[pt] A Programação Genética permite que computadores resolvam problemas automaticamente, sem que eles tenham sido programados para tal. Utilizando a inspiração no princípio da seleção natural de Darwin, uma população de programas, ou indivíduos, é mantida, modificada baseada em variação genética, e avaliada de acordo com uma função de aptidão (fitness). A programação genética tem sido usada com sucesso por uma série de aplicações como projeto automático, reconhecimento de padrões, controle robótico, mineração de dados e análise de imagens. Porém, a avaliação da gigantesca quantidade de indivíduos gerados requer excessiva quantidade de computação, levando a um tempo de execução inviável para problemas grandes. Este trabalho explora o alto poder computacional de unidades de processamento gráfico, ou GPUs, para acelerar a programação genética e permitir a geração automática de programas para grandes problemas. Propomos duas novas metodologias para se explorar a GPU em programação genética: compilação em linguagem intermediária e a criação de indivíduos em código de máquina. Estas metodologias apresentam vantagens em relação às metodologias tradicionais usadas na literatura. A utilização de linguagem intermediária reduz etapas de compilação e trabalha com instruções que estão bem documentadas. A criação de indivíduos em código de máquina não possui nenhuma etapa de compilação, mas requer engenharia reversa das instruções que não estão documentadas neste nível. Nossas metodologias são baseadas em programação genética linear e inspiradas em computação quântica. O uso de computação quântica permite uma convergência rápida, capacidade de busca global e inclusão da história passada dos indivíduos. As metodologias propostas foram comparadas com as metodologias existentes e apresentaram ganhos consideráveis de desempenho. Foi observado um desempenho máximo de até 2,74 trilhões de GPops (operações de programação genética por segundo) para o benchmark Multiplexador de 20 bits e foi possível estender a programação genética para problemas que apresentam bases de dados de até 7 milhões de amostras. / [en] Genetic Programming enables computers to solve problems automatically, without being programmed to it. Using the inspiration in the Darwin s Principle of natural selection, a population of programs or individuals is maintained, modified based on genetic variation, and evaluated according to a fitness function. Genetic programming has been successfully applied to many different applications such as automatic design, pattern recognition, robotic control, data mining and image analysis. However, the evaluation of the huge amount of individuals requires excessive computational demands, leading to extremely long computational times for large size problems. This work exploits the high computational power of graphics processing units, or GPUs, to accelerate genetic programming and to enable the automatic generation of programs for large problems. We propose two new methodologies to exploit the power of the GPU in genetic programming: intermediate language compilation and individuals creation in machine language. These methodologies have advantages over traditional methods used in the literature. The use of an intermediate language reduces the compilation steps, and works with instructions that are well-documented. The individuals creation in machine language has no compilation step, but requires reverse engineering of the instructions that are not documented at this level. Our methodologies are based on linear genetic programming and are inspired by quantum computing. The use of quantum computing allows rapid convergence, global search capability and inclusion of individuals past history. The proposed methodologies were compared against existing methodologies and they showed considerable performance gains. It was observed a maximum performance of 2,74 trillion GPops (genetic programming operations per second) for the 20-bit Multiplexer benchmark, and it was possible to extend genetic programming for problems that have databases with up to 7 million samples.

Nonlinear constrained optimal trajectory control is an important and fundamental area of research that continues to advance in numerous fields. Many attempts have been made to present new methods that can solve for optimal trajectories more efficiently or to improve the overall performance of existing techniques. This research presents a recently developed bio-inspired method called the Virtual Motion Camouflage (VMC) method that offers a means of quickly finding, within a defined but varying search space, the optimal trajectory that is equal or close to the optimal solution. The research starts with the polynomial-based VMC method, which works within a search space that is defined by a selected and fixed polynomial type virtual prey motion. Next will be presented a means of improving the solution’s optimality by using a sequential based form of VMC, where the search space is adjusted by adjusting the polynomial prey trajectory after a solution is obtained. After the search space is adjusted, an optimization is performed in the new search space to find a solution closer to the global space optimal solution, and further adjustments are made as desired. Finally, a B-spline augmented VMC method is presented, in which a B-spline curve represents the prey motion and will allow the search space to be optimized together with the solution trajectory. It is shown that (1) the polynomial based VMC method will significantly reduce the overall problem dimension, which in practice will significantly reduce the computational cost associated with solving nonlinear constrained optimal trajectory problems; (2) the sequential VMC method will improve the solution optimality by sequentially refining certain parameters, such as the prey motion; and (3) the B-spline augmented VMC method will improve the solution iv optimality without sacrificing the CPU time much as compared with the polynomial based approach. Several simulation scenarios, including the Breakwell problem, the phantom track problem, the minimum-time mobile robot obstacle avoidance problem, and the Snell’s river problem are simulated to demonstrate the capabilities of the various forms of the VMC algorithm. The capabilities of the B-spline augmented VMC method are also shown in a hardware demonstration using a mobile robot obstacle avoidance testbed.

With the recent trend for systems to be more and more autonomous, there is a growing need for cooperative trajectory planning. Applications that can be considered as cooperative systems such as surveying, formation flight, and traffic control need a method that can rapidly produce trajectories while considering all of the constraints on the system. Currently most of the existing methods to handle cooperative control are based around either simple dynamics and/or on the assumption that all vehicles have homogeneous properties. In reality, typical autonomous systems will have heterogeneous, nonlinear dynamics while also being subject to extreme constraints on certain state and control variables. In this thesis, a new approach to the cooperative control problem is presented based on the bio-inspired motion strategy known as local pursuit. In this framework, decision making about the group trajectory and formation are handled at a cooperative level while individual trajectory planning is considered in a local sense. An example is presented for a case of an autonomous farming system (e.g. scouting) utilizing nonlinear vehicles to cooperatively accomplish various farming task with minimal energy consumption or minimum time. The decision making and trajectory generation is handled very quickly while being able to consider changing environments laden with obstacles

Trajectory planning is important in many applications involving unmanned aerial vehicles, underwater vehicles, spacecraft, and industrial manipulators. It is still a challenging task to rapidly find an optimal trajectory while taking into account dynamic and environmental constraints. In this dissertation, a unified, varying manifold based optimal trajectory planning method inspired by several predator-prey relationships is investigated to tackle this challenging problem. Biological species, such as hoverflies, ants, and bats, have developed many efficient hunting strategies. It is hypothesized that these types of predators only move along paths in a carefully selected manifold based on the prey’s motion in some of their hunting activities. Inspired by these studies, the predator-prey relationships are organized into a unified form and incorporated into the trajectory optimization formulation, which can reduce the computational cost in solving nonlinear constrained optimal trajectory planning problems. Specifically, three motion strategies are studied in this dissertation: motion camouflage, constant absolute target direction, and local pursuit. Necessary conditions based on the speed and obstacle avoidance constraints are derived. Strategies to tune initial guesses are proposed based on these necessary conditions to enhance the convergence rate and reduce the computational cost of the motion camouflage inspired strategy. The following simulations have been conducted to show the advantages of the proposed methods: a supersonic aircraft minimum-time-to-climb problem, a ground robot obstacle avoidance problem, and a micro air vehicle minimum time trajectory problem. The results show that the proposed methods can find the optimal solution with higher success rate and faster iv convergent speed as compared with some other popular methods. Among these three motion strategies, the method based on the local pursuit strategy has a relatively higher success rate when compared to the other two. In addition, the optimal trajectory planning method is embedded into a receding horizon framework with unknown parameters updated in each planning horizon using an Extended Kalman Filter

The purpose of this thesis is to showcase the importance of God-inspired Theatre and to manifest the transformative effects of living in accordance to the Word of God. In order to share my vision for theatre such as this, I will examine the biblical elements in Zora Neale Hurston's short story Sweat (1926). I will write a stage adaptation of the story, while placing emphasis on the biblical lessons that can be used for God-inspired Theatre. When viewing the stage adaptation based on Sweat, the audience members will understand how God-inspired Theatre aims to help members of society utilize their gifts and abilities to assist others in achieving spiritual stability. The members of the audience will also be informed of my vision to use this piece to inspire others to embrace cultural awareness and sensitivity. This is my vision--helping others to walk in their God-ordained destiny. With this in mind, I am using Sweat as a proposed play because it is closely related to the creation account as recorded in the Old Testament Book of Genesis. In this play, Adam and Eve are replaced with the characters Sykes and Delia Jones. The creation account is a very influential testimony because it is known throughout humanity. Its popularity is due to the fact that the Old Testament is the commencement of the Christian Bible. For those of the Jewish faith, the collection encompasses the Torah, the first five books of the bible--the law for everyday living-- as well as the history of God's promise to them. For Christians, the Old Testament is just as sacred, but they view its religious meaning as incomplete without the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ detailed in the New Testament. Also, Muslims trace their religious roots to some of the figures in the Old Testament although they deny the religious significance of the work as a whole. In essence, the Old Testament is crucial to Western Civilization. This is why Sweat is so powerful. It takes an extremely familiar testimony and shares pertinent messages that help people to become productive members of society. In order to show how effective Sweat is in helping others to live spirit-filled lives, I will use creative staging that will place the characters in the personal space of the audience members. I will achieve this by: having the actors enter and exit from the audience; allowing certain scenes to take place within the audience; and having the actors deliver some lines to various audience members. I feel that by making the audience a part of the production, it will cause them to see that they are not any different from the characters in the play. At some point in their lives, theatergoers have encountered--or been intimate with--an Adam, an Eve, a Sykes or a Delia. This will cause them to not see Sweat as just a play, but as a valuable life lesson, triggering self-examination and initiating renovated thinking that helps people to become culturally aware and spiritually sound. It is imperative that the biblical messages in Sweat are conspicuous. Whereas the narrator normally describes Delia's facial expression or feelings, I plan to write in scenes where her thoughts are audible. Some of her thoughts will include moments when she is praising and worshipping God. This is apparent because she starts to emerge as a woman of strength as the story progresses. Her relationship with God is cultivated on a daily basis. This is why she is able to tolerate her husband's foolishness. Her husband, Sykes, does not commune with God. To demonstrate his lack of communion with God, I will stage him being resistant to her times of worship--as he normally is according to the narrator. Clearly, the marriage is unbalanced. One partner is trying to please God, and the other is trying to please self. This is not how God intended marriage to be. In the New Testament Book First Peter, it states in the third chapter and seventh verse "husbands are to dwell with them in understanding, giving honor to the wife... being heirs together of the grace of life." Showing the burdensome consequences of destructing God's original design will pull on the hearts of audience members because they have encountered or known someone who is presently dealing with the consequences of this disobedient act. I will further reiterate the need for living a spirit-filled life by using costumes, scenic devices, and lighting to convey the godly and ungodly character traits that are embodied within the story. Through the use of colors and patterns, I will project the internal state of the character as in relation to God's instructions. I will work with a lighting designer in order to help convey the moods of the various scenes. The lighting techniques we choose will help to establish the thoughts and personalities of the characters. These feelings will transcend the minds of the audience and cause them to take the biblical messages into very deep consideration. The actors are the final ingredients in making Sweat an awe-inspiring, informative piece. Words are what they are, what one perceives them to be, while on paper. It is the job of the actor to give life to these words, cause them to live in the atmosphere, and to make the character come alive. Until the actor embodies the very heart of a character, the message in God-inspired Theatre will not be able to come forth and propel audience members to have a spiritual awakening. This is why people cannot just read Sweat. They must see the trials and journeys in order to receive life-changing revelations from the testimonies within the play.