Week 0
Previous Work on UXV's Swarm Communication
During the first semester, we worked on understanding
the key challenges of our project and refining our approach to ensure a feasible and structured
development.
Meeting with Lieutenant Marante (Portuguese Navy – X31 Unit)
We had the opportunity to meet with Lieutenant Marante
from the X31 Unit of the Portuguese Navy to explore the type of support they could offer. In this
meeting, we gained insights into the real-world challenges they face regarding swarm
communication. Understanding their constraints and operational needs allowed us to better align
our project with practical applications and define potential collaboration areas.
Consultation with Professor Alexandra Moutinho
As we progressed, we realized that our initial problem
was too broad and complex. To address this, we reached out to our advisor, Professor Alexandra
Moutinho, to help us refine our focus. Through discussions with her, we identified the core
aspects of our project and decided to scale down our initial vision into a more realistic and
achievable goal. This step was crucial in preventing us from pursuing an overly ambitious approach
that would have been difficult to complete within our time frame.
Mentorship with Afonso Vale
Our mentor, Afonso Vale, has extensive knowledge in
this field and is currently working on a related project at the Institute for Systems and Robotics
(ISR). His expertise has been invaluable in guiding us through the technical challenges of swarm
communication. In our meetings, we presented our initial project scope, received critical
feedback, and identified necessary adjustments. Additionally, he has helped us structure our next
steps and organize follow-up meetings to further develop our ideas in a more structured way.
Creating a Trello Board for Project Management
To keep our work organized and ensure efficient task
management, we created a Trello board. This platform allowed us to structure our workflow, assign
responsibilities, and track progress systematically. Having a centralized system for task
delegation has been essential in keeping the team aligned and maintaining a clear overview of our
project’s development.
Research and Paper Analysis
To deepen our understanding of the problem, we
compiled a collection of academic papers and research articles related to swarm communication and
unmanned systems. By analyzing these materials, we gained insights into existing solutions,
technical limitations, and areas where innovation is needed. This research phase has provided a
solid foundation for making informed decisions and preparing for the technical challenges ahead.
These efforts were fundamental in shaping the UXV's Swarm Communication project, allowing us
to move forward with a well-defined and structured approach.
Stay tuned for more
updates as we continue developing our project!
