An Approach to Tagging Objects of Interest in Oceanic Environments Through the Use of an AUV

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Waltuch ◽  
Elizabeth Astle ◽  
Eric Mirante ◽  
Brent Cornwall ◽  
James McCusker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Underwater Robotics ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Remotely Operated Vehicle ◽  
Neutral Buoyancy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Novel Design ◽  
Lengthy Process ◽  
The Ideal

In the field of underwater robotics, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) have made many advancements in operating depth, mission endurance, and acoustic range making them the ideal vehicle for surveying and searching for any Object of Interest (OOI) over large areas of water. The downside to this technology is that the operator must wait for the vehicle’s mission to end to determine whether an OOI has been identified. Additionally, if an OOI is identified this object will need to be found again. The solution to this lengthy process is to equip the AUV with a suite of Underwater Locator Beacons (ULB) which can be deployed and anchored next to any positively identified OOI. This way, the operator can be actively listening for the pinging frequency of a deployed ULB where then a secondary Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) can be launched to retrieve or further investigate the OOI while the AUV continues its search and tag. This paper presents the design and test of a ULB deployment system that would be implemented into an AUV. An AUV is sensitive to changes in weight, therefore this novel design leverages the concepts of Archimedes Principle by preserving neutral buoyancy pre- and post-deployment of the ULB. Upon deployment, the ULB will be capable of securely anchoring itself in a wide range of seabed environments. To test the design described above, a custom ROV has been fabricated with the sole purpose of transporting the ULB deployment system to operating depth. The paper describes in detail both the test results from the ULB deployment system and a design for implementation into an AUV.

scholarly journals A Low-Cost Electromagnetic Docking Guidance System for Micro Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shilin Peng ◽  
Jingbiao Liu ◽  
Junhao Wu ◽  
Chong Li ◽  
Benkun Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Guidance System ◽  
Electromagnetic Signal ◽  
Spatiotemporal Resolution ◽  
Search Coil ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Processing Subsystem

As important observational platforms for the Smart Ocean concept, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) that perform long-term observation in fleets are beneficial because they provide large-scale sampling data with a sufficient spatiotemporal resolution. Therefore, a large number of low-cost micro AUVs with docking capability for power recharge and data transmission are essential. This study designed a low-cost electromagnetic docking guidance (EMDG) system for micro AUVs. The EMDG system is composed of a transmitter coil located on the dock and a three-axial search coil magnetometer acting as a receiver. The search coil magnetometer was optimized for small sizes while maintaining sufficient sensitivity. The signal conditioning and processing subsystem was designed to calculate the deflection angle (β) for docking guidance. Underwater docking tests showed that the system can detect the electromagnetic signal and successfully guide AUV docking. The AUV can still perform docking in extreme positions, which cannot be realized through normal optical or acoustic guidance. This study is the first to focus on the EM guidance system for low-cost micro AUVs. The search coil sensor in the AUV is inexpensive and compact so that the system can be equipped on a wide range of AUVs.

The concept of a quiet undulating propulsion with ionic polymer-metal composites in autonomous underwater vehicles

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (89) ◽  
pp. 35-40
Author(s):  
A. Adamczyk
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Future Application ◽  
Underwater Robotics ◽  
Metal Composites ◽  
Ionic Polymer Metal Composites ◽  
Ionic Polymer ◽  
Materials Research ◽  
Polymer Metal ◽  
Living Organisms

Purpose: Recent years have shown a dynamic development of underwater robotics. Autonomous biomimetic underwater vehicles (BUVs) with undulating propulsion are the latest branch in this area. They imitate not only the construction of underwater living organisms such as fish, but also kinematics of their motion. Such solution gives more energy efficient propulsion with less noise comparing to classical propulsion based on screw propellers [1]. However even the latest solutions still use the same electromagnetic engines to drive those sophisticated constructions. This article contains the concept of a ionic polymer-metal composites drive, design for undulating propulsion. Design/methodology/approach: Design of the new type of fin requires further tests and presented model takes under the consideration influence of only few factors described in this paper. Findings: Results of the research confirm theoretical behaviour of IPMC’s (Ionic Polymer- Metal Composites) and show some disadvantages of this type of materials. Research limitations/implications: The effects of the research are limited to macroscopic observation with limited accuracy. Practical implications: Results of the research show possible future application of IPMC’s (in underwater robotics). Originality/value: Results of this research opens a new idea which with further tests may result in developing a new quiet undulating propulsion for BUV’s.

An Innovative Navigation Strategy for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles: An Unscented Kalman Filter Based Approach

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedetto Allotta ◽  
Riccardo Costanzi ◽  
Enrico Meli ◽  
Alessandro Ridolfi ◽  
Luigi Chisci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Kalman Filter ◽  
Unscented Kalman Filter ◽  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Measurement Unit ◽  
Doppler Velocity ◽  
Underwater Robotics ◽  
Filtering Algorithm ◽  
Navigation Algorithms ◽  
Underwater Navigation

Developing reliable navigation strategies is mandatory in the field of Underwater Robotics and in particular for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to ensure the correct achievement of a mission. Underwater navigation is still nowadays critical, e.g. due to lack of access to satellite navigation systems (e.g. the Global Positioning System, GPS): an AUV typically proceeds for long time intervals only relying on the measurements of its on-board sensors, without any communication with the outside environment. In this context, the filtering algorithm for the estimation of the AUV state is a key factor for the performance of the system; i.e. the filtering algorithm used to estimate the state of the AUV has to guarantee a satisfactory underwater navigation accuracy. In this paper, the authors present an underwater navigation system which exploits measurements from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) and a Pressure Sensor (PS) for the depth, and relies on either an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) or an Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) for state estimation. A comparison between the EKF approach, classically adopted in the field of underwater robotics and the UKF is given. These navigation algorithms have been experimentally validated through the data related to some sea tests with the Typhoon class AUVs, designed and assembled by the Department of Industrial Engineering of the Florence University (DIEF) for exploration and surveillance of underwater archaeological sites in the framework of the THESAURUS and European ARROWS projects. The comparison results are significant as the two filtering strategies are based on the same process and sensors models. At this initial stage of the research activity, the navigation algorithms have been tested offline. The presented results rely on the experimental navigation data acquired during two different sea missions: in the first one, Typhoon AUV #1 navigated in a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) mode near Livorno, Italy, during the final demo of THESAURUS project (held in August 2013); in the latter Typhoon AUV #2 autonomously navigated near La Spezia in the framework of the NATO CommsNet13 experiment, Italy (held in September 2013). The achieved results demonstrate the effectiveness of both navigation algorithms and the superiority of the UKF without increasing the computational load. The algorithms are both affordable for online on-board AUV implementation and new tests at sea are planned for spring 2015.

scholarly journals Determination of Flow Parameters of a Water Flow Around an AUV Body

Robotics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Julian Hoth ◽  
Wojciech Kowalczyk
Keyword(s):  
Water Flow ◽  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Navigation Systems ◽  
Pressure Data ◽  
Flow Parameters ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Given

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have changed the way marine environment is surveyed, monitored and mapped. Autonomous underwater vehicles have a wide range of applications in research, military, and commercial settings. AUVs not only perform a given task but also adapt to changes in the environment, e.g., sudden side currents, downdrafts, and other effects which are extremely unpredictable. To navigate properly and allow simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) algorithms to be used, these effects need to be detected. With current navigation systems, these disturbances in the water flow are not measured directly. Only the indirect effects are observed. It is proposed to detect the disturbances directly by placing pressure sensors on the surface of the AUV and processing the pressure data obtained. Within this study, the applicability of different learning methods for determining flow parameters of a surrounding fluid from pressure on an AUV body are tested. This is based on CFD simulations using pressure data from specified points on the surface of the AUV. It is shown that support vector machines are most suitable for the given task and yield excellent results.

scholarly journals Test Results of the Long Baseline Navigation Solutions under a Large a Priori Position Uncertainty

2022 ◽  
Vol 1215 (1) ◽  
pp. 012006
Author(s):  
V.V. Bogomolov
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Posteriori Probability ◽  
Global Maximum ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Final Solution ◽  
Position Uncertainty ◽  
Modified Method ◽  
Long Baseline

Abstract A method is proposed for long baseline navigation of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) to be used in the case of a large a priori position uncertainty. The new modified method is based on the iterated Kalman filter (IKF) working with different initial linearization points. The final solution is calculated by clustering and weighting the IKF results. This approach allows position estimates to be determined in accordance with the global maximum of posteriori probability density of coordinates. The test results obtained with the use of three beacons and an underwater vehicle are presented.

scholarly journals A Unifying Task Priority Approach for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Integrating Homing and Docking Maneuvers

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 162
Author(s):  
Cris Thomas ◽  
Enrico Simetti ◽  
Giuseppe Casalino
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Path Following ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Control Approach ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Terrain Following ◽  
Task Priority ◽  
The Rich ◽  
And Control

This research proposes a unified guidance and control framework for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) based on the task priority control approach, incorporating various behaviors such as path following, terrain following, obstacle avoidance, as well as homing and docking to stationary and moving stations. The integration of homing and docking maneuvers into the task priority framework is thus a novel contribution of this paper. This integration allows, for example, to execute homing maneuvers close to uneven seafloor or obstacles, ensuring the safety of the AUV, as safety tasks can be given the highest priority. Furthermore, another contribution shown in the paper is that the proposed approach tackles a wide range of scenarios without ad hoc solutions. Indeed, the proposed approach is well suited for both the emerging trend of resident AUVs, which stay underwater for a long period inside garage stations, exiting to perform inspection and maintenance missions and homing back to them, and for AUVs that are required to dock to moving stations such as surface vehicles, or towed docking stations. The proposed techniques are studied in a simulation setting, taking into account the rich number of aforementioned scenarios.

scholarly journals Towards Software Based Optical Communication Methods for the Assistance of Docking Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 655
Author(s):  
Josef Grindley ◽  
Owen McAree ◽  
Muhammad Ateeq ◽  
Badr Abdullah ◽  
Frederic Bezombes
Keyword(s):  
Optical Communications ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Optical Signal ◽  
Range Data ◽  
Underwater Robotics ◽  
Real World Data ◽  
Test Environment ◽  
Receiver Model

The use of optical communications systems is prevalent in underwater robotics when short-range data transmission is required or preferred. This paper proposes a method of producing and testing an optical communications system for use in the assistance of optical docking for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). It describes how the Simulink modelling environment was used to program and simulate a model of a transmitter, which was then implemented on a microcontroller. The transmitter model implemented on hardware was then used to produce an optical signal, which was sampled, logged and used to design a receiver model in Simulink. For signalling purposes, the experiment used a light-emitting diode (LED) with a driver circuit and photodiode based receiver. This simulated approach using real world data enabled the analysis of the system at every point during the process, allowing for a hardware in the loop style approach to be used in the receiver model design. Consequently, the Simulink Coder was used to produce the receiver model’s equivalent in C++ for later deployment. A benchmark was determined through experimentation to compare within future studies; the system was tested and found to operate effectively at distances between 1 m and 12 m in a controlled in air test environment.

scholarly journals Model Predictive Control of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Based on Horizon Optimization

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudirman Sudirman
Keyword(s):  
Model Predictive Control ◽  
Predictive Control ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle ◽  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Underwater Vehicle ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Heading Control ◽  
Made In

Heading control of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) using Model Predictive Control (MPC) gives a good performance. Varying the length of the horizon provides a variety of performance. This paper is made in order to find out how many optimal horizons are needed to obtain the highest efficiency of energy use in AUV. Test results show a positive correlation between the length of the horizon and the amount of energy used. The optimal horizon obtained is then tested on several different trajectories.

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