| abstract: |
The main objective of TALOS multidisciplinary project is to develop and field test the innovative concept of a mobile, modular, scalable, autonomous and adaptive system for protecting European borders. The conventional border protection systems are based mainly on expensive ground facilities installed along the entire length of the border used only to observe, detect and warn. This infrastructure is complemented by human patrols, where there is an access to the border line. The system developed within the TALOS project will be more versatile, efficient, flexible and cost effective. The complete system applies both aerial and ground unmanned vehicles, supervised by command and control centre, but in the TALOS project the emphasis will be put on application of UGV, communication and ability to command and control. The ground platforms will be both the watching stations and the first reaction patrols, which will inform the Control and Command Centre and an intruder about her/his situation, and will undertake the proper measures to stop the illegal action almost autonomously with supervision of border guard officers. The most important features of the system are scalability, autonomous operation, mobility and adaptability. It will be easy to “scale’ the system to the local requirements such as border length and topographic conditions. The system elements would operate autonomously using the set of rules defined by Command and Control centre. The rules modified from time to time during system operation will adapt the system to the variable tactics of border crossing (in the specific patrol scenario, area of operation, border topography, etc.) and will constantly improve performance in the long term. The consortium is formed of an experienced research teams from industry, research and academia from Belgium, Finland, France, Israel, Poland and Turkey, with established close links with end users (border guards), which gives good prospects for project success. |
