A Biologically Inspired Approach to Long Term Autonomy and Survival in Sailing Robots

Biologically inspired approaches have long been touted as a possible mechanism to improve the survival of robots operating autonomously in harsh environments. One method which has often been suggested is to mimic the endocrine system which is responsible for the modulation of a series of behaviours. The endocrine system contributes to the process of homeostasis which maintains a stable state within the body in the face of a changing external environment. An artificial endocrine system could be deployed to modulate the frequency of actuator use or sensor sampling. This could improve power management and task allocation within a sailing robot, helping it to maintain a steady state and continue operating autonomously for longer periods of time. This paper outlines the method for a simple test of this technique involving feedback of actuator temperature and a simple circadian rhythm on a small sailing robot.