Swarms for Sampling and Detection of Life in Caves on Earth and in Space

Main Objectives:

- Design and test a swarm of robots for the sampling and the detection of life in caves on Earth
- Optimise swarm behaviour/design to find the strongest possible evidence for life in caves
- Use fieldwork testing results to provide design suggestions for future space missions that explore planetary caves
using swarms

Caves are one of the last two remaining frontiers for exploration on Earth and they provide an incredibly well-preserved
sampling environment that's of high scientific value. However, caves are not well characterised due to the risks involved,
and the difficulties to access them. A swarm of robots are well equipped at dealing with the numerous challenges (limited
sensory information, unpredictable terrain, GPS denied environment, and so on) posed by cave exploration. The swarm
would be designed and optimised to detect life through multiple measurements and samples taken from different areas of the
cave, which provides a higher level of evidence for the existence of life within these caves than a single robot is capable of.
Swarms also have relevant applications such as chemical plume tracing and horizontal core sampling capabilities, and there
is readily available/simple instrumentation, such as test strips, for the detection of substances common to life. The new
samples collected from these caves could provide insight into previously unseen microbiology with potential medicinal
applications, and contributes to the growing body of evidence showing significant biological diversity in caves. The swarm
could also be extended for geological sampling of the caves, which would reveal new insight into the history of our climate.
Future space exploration missions prioritise caves as high value Astrobiological targets with the best chance to detect signs
of life, and caves are likely to be used for future space settlements due to radiation shielding. This research closes the gap in
technological development for future Astrobiological space missions to detect life in planetary caves utilising swarms.

FARSCOPE-TU will deliver a step change in UK capabilities in robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) by elevating technologies from niche to ubiquity. It meets the critical need for advanced RAS, placing the UK in prime position to capture a significant proportion of the estimated $18bn global market in advanced service robotics. FARSCOPE-TU will provide an advanced training network in RAS, pump priming a generation of professional and adaptable engineers and leaders who can integrate fundamental and applied innovation, thereby making impact across all the "four nations" in EPSRC's Delivery Plan. Specifically, it will have significant immediate and ongoing impact in the following six areas:
1. Training: The FARSCOPE-TU coherent strategy will deliver five cohorts trained in state-of-the-art RAS research, enterprise, responsible innovation and communication. Our students will be trained with wide knowledge of all robotics, and deep specialist skills in core domains, all within the context of the 'innovation pipeline', meeting the need for 'can-do' research engineers, unafraid to tackle new and emergent technical challenges. Students will graduate as future thought leaders, ready for deployment across UK research and industrial innovation.
2. Partner and industrial impact: The FARSCOPE-TU programme has been designed in collaboration with our industrial and end-user partners, including: DSTL; Thales; Atkins; Toshiba; Roke Manor Research; Network Rail; BT; National Nuclear Lab; AECOM; RNTNE Hospital; Designability; Bristol Heart Inst.; FiveAI; Ordnance Survey; TVS; Shadow Robot Co.; React AI; RACE (part of UKAEA) and Aimsun. Partners will deliver context and application-oriented training direct to the students throughout the course, ensuring graduates are perfectly placed to transition into their businesses and deliver rapid impact.
3. RAS community: FARSCOPE-TU will act as multidisciplinary centre in robotics and autonomous systems for the whole RAS community, provide an inclusive model for future research and training centres and bring new opportunities for networking between other centres. These include joint annual conference with other RAS CDTs and training exchanges. FARSCOPE-TU will generate significant international exposure within and beyond the RAS community, including major robotics events such as ICRA and IROS, and will interface directly with the UK-RAS network.
4. Societal Impact: FARSCOPE-TU will promote an informed debate on the adoption of autonomous robotics in society, cutting through hype and fear while promoting the highest levels of ethics and safety. All students will design and deliver public engagement events to schools and the public, generating knock-on impact in two ways: greater STEM uptake enhances future economic potential, and greater awareness makes people better users of robots, amplifying societal benefits.
5. Economic impact: FARSCOPE-TU will not only train cohorts in fundamental and applied research but will also demonstrate how to bridge the "technology valley of death" between lower and higher TRL. This will enable students to exploit their ideas in technology incubators (incl. BRL incubator, SetSquared and EngineShed) and through IP protection. FARSCOPE-TU's vision of ubiquitous robotics will extend its impact across all UK industrial and social sectors, from energy suppliers, transport and agriculture to healthcare, aging and human-machine interaction. It will pump-prime ubiquitous UK robotics, inspiring and enabling myriad new businesses and economic and social impact opportunities.
6. Long-term Impact: FARSCOPE-TU will have long-term impact beyond the funded lifetime of the Centre through a network for alumni, enabling knowledge exchange and networking between current and past students, and with partners and research groups. FARSCOPE-TU will have significant positive impact on the 80-strong non-CDT postgraduate student body in BRL, extending best-practice in supervision and training.