Underwater robotics

About: Underwater robotics is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 551 publications have been published within this topic receiving 8813 citations.

Research challenges and applications for underwater sensor networking

Abstract: This paper explores applications and challenges for underwater sensor networks. We highlight potential applications to off-shore oilfields for seismic monitoring, equipment monitoring, and underwater robotics. We identify research directions in short-range acoustic communications, MAC, time synchronization, and localization protocols for high-latency acoustic networks, long-duration network sleeping, and application-level data scheduling. We describe our preliminary design on short-range acoustic communication hardware, and summarize results of high-latency time synchronization

Design and Control of Autonomous Underwater Robots: A Survey

Abstract: During the 1990s, numerous worldwide research and development activities have occurred in underwater robotics, especially in the area of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). As the ocean attracts great attention on environmental issues and resources as well as scientific and military tasks, the need for and use of underwater robotic systems has become more apparent. Great efforts have been made in developing AUVs to overcome challenging scientific and engineering problems caused by the unstructured and hazardous ocean environment. In the 1990s, about 30 new AUVs have been built worldwide. With the development of new materials, advanced computing and sensory technology, as well as theoretical advancements, R&D activities in the AUV community have increased. However, this is just the beginning for more advanced, yet practical and reliable AUVs. This paper surveys some key areas in current state-of-the-art underwater robotic technologies. It is by no means a complete survey but provides key references for future development. The new millennium will bring advancements in technology that will enable the development of more practical, reliable AUVs.

The evolution of robotics research

Abstract: This article surveys traditional research topics in industrial robotics and mobile robotics and then expands on new trends in robotics research that focus more on the interaction between human and robot. The new trends in robotics research have been denominated service robotics because of their general goal of getting robots closer to human social needs, and this article surveys research on service robotics such as medical robotics, rehabilitation robotics, underwater robotics, field robotics, construction robotics and humanoid robotics. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the evolution of research topics in robotics from classical motion control for industrial robots to modern intelligent control techniques and social learning paradigms, among other aspects.

Underwater vehicle obstacle avoidance and path planning using a multi-beam forward looking sonar

Abstract: This paper describes a new framework for segmentation of sonar images, tracking of underwater objects and motion estimation. This framework is applied to the design of an obstacle avoidance and path planning system for underwater vehicles based on a multi-beam forward looking sonar sensor. The real-time data flow (acoustic images) at the input of the system is first segmented and relevant features are extracted. We also take advantage of the real-time data stream to track the obstacles in following frames to obtain their dynamic characteristics. This allows us to optimize the preprocessing phases in segmenting only the relevant part of the images. Once the static (size and shape) as well as dynamic characteristics (velocity, acceleration,...) of the obstacles have been computed, we create a representation of the vehicle's workspace based on these features. This representation uses constructive solid geometry (CSG) to create a convex set of obstacles defining the workspace. The tracking takes also into account obstacles which are no longer in the field of view of the sonar in the path planning phase. A well-proven nonlinear search (sequential quadratic programming) is then employed, where obstacles are expressed as constraints in the search space. This approach is less affected by local minima than classical methods using potential fields. The proposed system is not only capable of obstacle avoidance but also of path planning in complex environments which include fast moving obstacles. Results obtained on real sonar data are shown and discussed. Possible applications to sonar servoing and real-time motion estimation are also discussed.

Underwater robotics: out of the research laboratory and into the field

Abstract: The development of two new classes of commercial underwater robotic vehicles-deep diving work-class remotely operated vehicles and survey-class autonomous vehicles-is being driven by the needs of deep water oil production and deep ocean telecommunication cable operations. The paper presents a survey of the present state and future directions of commercial underwater robotics, examines principal technical challenges, and outlines new enabling technologies for commercial underwater robotic vehicles.