[BT] What are the underlying technologies that are supporting GNSS denied, unmanned maritime automated vehicles?
[Dr Arthur Morrish] In terms of autonomous technologies, the current available solutions still have a high dependency on the operator being in the loop, for example in providing the location normally in terms of GPS coordinates for a search and rescue mission.
The MBZIRC Maritime Grand Challenge tries to go beyond this scenario by asking a group of robots to work in a collaborative manner in a search and rescue operation, with minimal intervention from the operator.
The scenario is made even more challenging when considering the GNSS-denied operational demand. For example, the control and coordination of single and multi-UAV groups without GNSS is today still subject of active academic research, as at many levels of the control stack the GNSS input is used to close the control loop even just to stabilise UAV in the air. An example of this would be to use vision-based navigation. The challenge will, therefore, test the readiness of these technologies still in the research phase within a real-world situation.
[BT] In your opinion, where is the convergence or disruption of technologies taking place in unmanned maritime automated vehicles, that will make them economically viable?
[Dr Arthur Morrish] The objective of autonomous technologies is to make our lives easier, safer, and more efficient. The MBZIRC Maritime Grand Challenge will look to advance our autonomous capabilities and close the gap between what we can currently do and what we hope to achieve. In particular, we’re excited about the convergence of autonomy, advanced robotics systems, GNSS-denied navigation and edge processing as they come together in this system of systems challenge.
The Challenge, which involves heterogeneous collaboration between unmanned aerial and surface vehicles, requiring them to perform complex navigation, identification, and manipulation tasks in a GNSS-denied environment, should create the perfect environment for technological advancement in this space.
Such innovation can not only help reduce operational costs through enhanced speed and efficiency, but also effectively handle some of the often-dangerous tasks performed by humans minimising the risk to life.
[BT] These solutions are meant for search and destroy or search and identify, is there any other element of mobilisation required?
[Dr Arthur Morrish] This Challenge is focused on search and identify in the civilian arena. We’re hoping to find real-world solutions to maritime safety and security issues such as illegal fishing, smuggling, and piracy. We envisage the solutions developed to be used for autonomous identification and low-level interception like collecting boat registration papers, fishing licences and looking for contraband.
Looking further into the future, we envisage the Challenge will lay the foundations for additional research in the area and build towards developing fully autonomous search and rescue capabilities but that’s still some way off.
Whilst the focus, for now, is the maritime environment, the winning technology will have a much broader application across multiple sectors facing similar issues.
This is where innovation comes into its own. The smart deployment of technology has made seemingly insurmountable challenges achievable, enhancing all kinds of safety and security. We’re excited to see what the teams come up with.
[BT] How will ASPIRE disperse the prize money, that is top five ideas, incubation of ideas, joint patent ownership?
[Dr Arthur Morrish] The total prize purse is $3,250,000. The team winning the first prize will take home $2,000,000. The team placed second will receive $500,000 and the team bagging the third prize wins $250,000.
A further US$500,000 will be split equally between all teams progressing to the Demonstration Phase to help cover the cost of the build. Further, we will be providing the simulation environment for the Simulation Phase, contributing $50,000 to each finalist towards the cost of the robotic arm as well as providing the USV to be used.
[BT] How will the intellectual property become localised post the event, spin off ventures, added to ventures?
[Dr Arthur Morrish] Talent attracts talent, and this part of the world is brimming with the brightest minds with many more flocking to come and be a part of something very, very exciting. The amount of IP being created here in the region is astounding – the MBZIRC Maritime Grand Challenge is a great example of this.
However, ASPIRE will not take over ownership rights in the IP created by the teams as part of the challenge. Any IP created will remain owned by the teams. The entire ethos of the Challenge is about partnership and collaboration. In the future, we hope to partner and collaborate with those teams and together help solve the maritime industry’s biggest challenges.
Whilst each team will own the intellectual property of the technology they create, by accepting the prize, they will grant ASPIRE a non-exclusive, sub-licensable, perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide license to use the IP. The reason for this is we want to ensure the best solutions make it out of the test arena and into the real world. We want to play a key role in bringing them to life and help to address these real-life maritime problems for benefit of everyone.
[BT] What is the reason for keeping the long lead time into the event?
[Dr Arthur Morrish] We have received feedback from some registered teams the lead time is too short – they actually want longer to work on their solutions!
This is a very complex Challenge, therefore, the solutions created will need to be equally sophisticated to complete it and that takes time to plan and build. Whilst the individual tasks such as swarm communication or mobile manipulation have been done in the lab before, the way we’re bringing it all together, and in the real world, is a first. These solutions won’t be built overnight.
[BT] What is the longer-term vision and goals of ASPIRE?
[Dr Arthur Morrish] As the Program Management organisation of ATRC, ASPIRE acts as the ‘glue’ between the Technology Innovation Institute [TII] and the customer providing a clear path from the lab to the real world.
Our Vision is to deliver advanced technology solutions to our customers that enable them to compete and win in the global market. We look to do this via two primary means: Research Projects and Competitions and Grand Challenges.
As part of the research projects, ASPIRE frames research statements with clear benefits and practical, real world applications in mind. Working in close consultation with researchers, innovators, and cross-sector industry stakeholders from all levels of the local and international research and develpoment ecosystem, we ensure that our research projects have a clear path to successful application.
In the Competitions and Grand Challenges projects, ASPIRE seeks to solve tomorrow’s issues today, where we launch and manage high profile competitions and grand challenges to engage innovators and talented research teams from around the globe to develop ground-breaking solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.
[BT] Why is this challenge focusing on maritime?
[Dr Arthur Morrish] For countries with long coastlines, ensuring maritime safety can be additionally challenging as it requires significant investment in sophisticated equipment and highly trained personnel. The MBZIRC Maritime Grand Challenge is looking to change that and develop innovative solutions to some of the shipping industry’s biggest challenges.
We have chosen to focus on maritime security solutions because the shipping industry is the engine of the global economy, with about 90 per cent of traded goods transported by ships.
Without maritime security, the open seas would look more like the Wild West. Global economies would be handicapped, workers would be unable to do their jobs, livelihoods of those reliant on fishing will be jeopardised and the shipping industry would be chronically unable to operate at full capacity.
[BT] How will this robotics challenge benefit Abu Dhabi and the UAE?
[Dr Arthur Morrish] Robotics-based industries will play a key role in the future knowledge-based economy of the UAE. The event aims to foster technological innovation and inspire the next generation of scientists in the UAE.
By providing an environment to foster innovation and technical excellence in robotics, MBZIRC also supports the UAE’s transition to a knowledge economy, while consolidating Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s position as an emerging hub of innovation in advanced technology.
