U.S. Army Materiel Command, Natick Contracting Division, Attn: AMSSB-ACN, Natick, MA 01760-5011

A -- AQUATIC MICROBOTS FOR DISTRIBUTED ROBOTICS SOL W13G07-CBD-0001 DUE 081699 POC Xinia Llovet-Zurinaga (508) 233-4146 E-MAIL: Xinia Llovet-Zurinaga, xllovetz@natick-notes02.army.mil. The U.S. Army Soldier DAAN02-98-C-4030, Biological Chemical Command's -- Natick Soldier Center (USASBCCOM-NSC) proposes to enter into a sole-source contract action with Duke University, through a modification of the Duke contract number entitled "Aquatic Microbots for Distributed Robotics." The scope of the subject action is the augmentation of the effort thereunder to leverage the guidance technology and the capability that is the basis for the DARPA-sponsored Aquatic Microbots project. The Duke team includes Duke University, Nekton Technologies, and Battelle Memorial Institute. The method offers benefits for simple 3D control of moving objects in other media, air vs. water. The Duke team will disclose a similar method to control the trajectories of 60mm mortar rounds. Simulations indicate that the guidance technology, termed helical klinotaxis (HK), can influence the course of a 40mm high velocity grenade (HVG) sufficiently to correct for large windage. Helical klinotaxis, which allows precise positioning of an Aquabot in the search for locating mines and munitions in water, is being developed for USASBCCOM-NSC under the auspices of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Distributed Robotics Program. Helical klinotaxis is the foundation for the development of the entitled "Aquatic Microbots." It is a nonrandom means to control the orientation of moving objects in 3D. HK is robust and works in operational parameters. This approach is being used to control the flight of the miniature autonomous aquatic robots. Duke University, using the same corporate proprietary information, is uniquely positioned to develop a new generation of warfighter system capabilities based on helical klinotaxis and will link this technology to other host platforms. In this effort, the Duke team will be leveraging this as a guidance method discovered and developed by the Duke team to explore its utility as a component in the DARPA Anti Personnel Land Mine Alternative Program. The Duke Team will execute a 6-month modeling and simulation analysis of a course correcting 60mm Minimally Guided Munitions (MGM). The proposed work consists of two components: a demonstration of the method and an aeroballistic simulation analysis. The aeroballistic analysis will determine how much trajectory control is possible in a 60mm MGM and provide operational parameters for a prototype. For the demonstration, they will modify a low-speed projectile and make a videotape record of tests in which the device will be switched on and off, demonstrating repeatable trajectory changes. Duke expects to discover with precision how ballistic projectiles satisfy certain conditions as they spin in flight. The Ballistic model of this system will maintain similar characteristics as the Aquatic Microbots systems and use the same patented processing for the development and demonstration of the in flight ballistic projectiles. The results of this simulation and model development benefit the DARPA ongoing aquatic robotics effort and will serve as the foundation, leveraging knowledge and capability learned from the current program, for a new, 3-year effort culminating in demonstrations of guided 60mm MGM. This use of HK guidance in MGM instead of buried Anti-personnel Landmines could enable the low-cost attainment of Anti-Personnel Landmine Alternatives (APLA) goals -- - to which the U.S. has recently committed -- - eliminating landmines, therefore preventing the death or injury of thousands of civilians worldwide each year. The Duke team has developed advanced algorithms for these models resulting in a platform-independent demonstrable technique. The HK algorithms will augment the aquatic microbot platform and potentially provide improved guidance control of the aquatic system. The HK model will reuse most of the of the software technology developed thus far on the Aquatic Microbot Program. Proprietary software items include operating system, hardware drivers, networking, message protocols, and low level control and task management. No solicitation currently exists. All responses received within forty-five (45) days after publication of this notice will be considered. Responses must be in writing and forwarded to Ms. Xinia Llovet-Zurinaga: US AMC Acquisition Center, Natick Contracting Division, 1 Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760-5011, or E-mail xllovetz@natick-notes02.army.mil. See Note 22. Posted 07/02/99 (W-SN350152). (0183)

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