A simultaneous navigation and radiation evasion algorithm (SNARE)

作者：Khasawneh Mohammed A^*; Jaradat Mohammad A; Al Shboul ''Zeina Aman'' M

来源：Nuclear Engineering and Design, 2013, 265: 1016-1035.

DOI：10.1016/j.nucengdes.2013.10.003

In this paper, we address the issue of localization as pertains to indoor navigation under radiation contaminated environments. In this context, navigation, in the absence of any GPS signals, is guided by the location of the sensors that make up the entire wireless sensor network in a given locality within a nuclear facility. It, also, draws on the radiation levels as measured by the sensors around a given locale. Here, localization is inherently embedded into the algorithm presented in (Khasawneh et al., 2011a, 2011b) which was designed to provide navigational guidance to optimize any of two criteria: "Radiation Evasion" and "Nearest Exit". As such, the algorithm can either be applied to setting a navigational "lowest" radiation exposure path from an initial point A to some other point B; a case typical of occupational workers performing maintenance operations around the facility; or providing a radiation-safe passage from point A to the nearest exit.
Algorithm's navigational performance is tested under statistical reference, wherein for a given number of runs (trials) algorithm performance is evaluated as a function of the number of steps of look-ahead it uses to acquire navigational information, and is compared against the performance of the renowned Dijkstra global navigation algorithm. This is done with reference to the amount of (radiation x time) product and that of the time needed to reach an exit point, under the two optimization criteria.
To evaluate algorithm ruggedness against rough radiation terrains, navigational performance was assessed for a U-shaped radiation field: a case typical of testing for robotics applications and a multi-island radiation environment. Under these two test environments, the algorithm was shown to perform in accordance with set optimization criteria.
Simulations reveal that localization of the mobile device is achieved in compliance with design requirements leading to navigational paths that compare favorably to Dijkstra navigation in terms of the (radiation x time) product and the time needed to reach an exit. Results of these simulations also show that while there were cases of failure encountered under navigation involving the "Radiation Evasion" criterion, algorithm performed favorably well when operated to optimize the "Nearest Exit" criterion with no cases of failure reported in any of the simulations.

• 出版日期2013-12