Aladdin

BAE Systems has completed the first stage of development of a “decision-making” autonomous system that could one day assist the emergency services during natural disasters or terrorist attacks.

The firm’s £5.5 million Autonomous Learning Agents for Decentralised Data and Information Networks (Aladdin) system aims to enhance situational awareness and decision-making in autonomous systems, such as robots and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It allows autonomous systems to collect and share knowledge, helping UAVs and robots to interact and go on to make choices and independent decisions.

The system could help people escape from a burning building, or be rescued in the event of an earthquake, fire or terrorist attack.

The Aladdin project, which started in October 2005, is a joint programme between the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, industry and academia. The system has been developed in conjunction with Southampton, Oxford and Bristol universities and Imperial College London.

Simon Case, capability technology leader for data and information processing at BAE Systems, said: “One of the core aims of Aladdin was to develop mutually beneficial partnerships between industry and the academic community, providing all parties with access to a valuable network of technologies, skills and facilities.

“I can see it playing a part in disaster rescue in the future,” he added.

Aladdin works to coordinate autonomous machines such as UAVs. The project has developed data collection and processing algorithms that enable groups of sensors and agents to operate as one decentralised and intelligent autonomous system. Under the system, information is collected, assessed and shared among agents and their actions planned and carried out collaboratively without direct human control, in uncertain environments.

In the event of a terrorist attack the Aladdin software could assist the emergency services in monitoring aspects of the attack, such as where fires were likely to spread to and where people had gathered for safety. The system could, for instance, link up with heat sensors and direct civilians to a safe exit away from a fire.

Simon Jewell, managing director, strategic capability solutions at BAE, said: “Aladdin brings intelligence to the heart of autonomous systems.”

The system is set to be tested for one year at a facility at Hampshire County Council, allowing the council’s emergency services to see how well it performs. Depending on the results of the trial, the system could then be rolled out to other emergency services.