Swarm intelligence development environment and underwater swarm robotics platform

The main objective of this research is to show that swarm intelligence and underwater swarm robotics is a possible technology for underwater wireless data communication, which up to present time is very challenging. Underwater wireless communication is similar to terrestrial communication having the worst parameters. This research paper is divided into two major components. First is the design, development, testing and validation of a Swarm Intelligence Development Environment and 3 different swarm intelligence for data communications. Second is the design, development testing and validation of an underwater swarm robotics platform. These two major components are necessary in order to successfully meet the objective. The three swarm intelligence designed are slime mold, trophallaxis and pheromone based swarm intelligence. Slime mold is based on the social amoeba called Dictyostelium discoideum. Trophallaxis is based on the behavior of bees. Pheromone is based on the behavior of ants. The three swarm intelligence are designed, developed and tested using the Swarm Intelligence Development Environment coded by the author. The underwater warm robotics platform is composed of six robots. All robots are design by the author using mechanical and electronics engineering principles. Codes are also designed by the author. The swarm behaviors are embedded in the system. Testing and validation are performed in a swimming pool. The testing and validation results support the objective of the researcher. The simulation results show the performance of the three swarm behaviors. It can be seen that their performance parameters are affected by which behavior is used and how many robots are used. The underwater swarm robotics platform is able to show swarm behavior and supports the overall success of the research