Robust Multihop Communication for Mobile Applications

Herbrechtsmeier S, El Habbal MAM, Rückert U, Witkowski U. Robust Multihop Communication for Mobile Applications. In: Proceedings of IARP Workshop on Robotics for Risky Interventions and Environmental Surveillance (RISE) 2010. 2010.This paper focuses on node placement strategy, communication protocols and hardware implementation of a robust mobile multi-hop network. As part of the GUARDIANS project a main disaster scenario of a large industrial warehouse on fire is assumed. In this scenario, black smoke may fill large space of the warehouse which makes it very difficult for the firefighters to locate themselves and orientate in the building. In our approach a multi-hop ad-hoc network communication system is able to provide a robust communication system. Focus of this paper is the distribution of robots to guaranteeing robust communication between the base station outside the scenario area and the fire fighter inside the building. Concerning the first point, the presence of smoke and the indoor nature of our scenario prevent localization using camera and GPS respectively. Therefore the performance and accuracy of other sensors were tested in order to examine their usability and reliability in such a scenario, like ultra-sound, laser and radio signaling. The second point is the evaluation of routing protocols and the development of a mobile communication gateway which is optimized for the mobile usage and therefore supports different techniques for energy saving. Its characteristic was tested in different scenarios like a complex building and a parking garage