Field Experiments on AUV "MR-X1"

Abstract

A small AUV "MR-X1" is being developed for detailed investigations of the seafloor and marine organisms at JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology). The motion of the vehicle is controlled by five thrusters. In order to improve control performance, digital implementation of a model based controller (LQI controller) was begun in 2009, and field experiments were carried out in the sea area near the volcano "Teishi Kaikyuu" in Sagami Bay on February 8, 2010. In this paper, the results of field experiments on direction control of the vehicle are summarized, and the motion equations of the vehicle required for a model based controller (LQI controller) are modified by using the results of the field experiments.

Development and Simulation of Operational Scenarios for Underwater Cable-driven Parallel Robot

“…To solve the problem of underwater application of MCDPR, we proposed an underwater cable-driven parallel robot (UCDPR), which is composed of multiple robots that work on the surface of the water [autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs), unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), and others], (8) and developed a modeling method for the mechanism that takes into account cable dynamics underwater (9,10) and for a basic control system configuration. (10,11) To operate the UCDPR in an actual environment, it is necessary to consider operational scenarios (12,13) from the landing of the robot on the water to the execution of the objective task (or the recovery of the robot), just as one must consider with general underwater robots [such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUVs)], and to design an appropriate controller for each scenario. Therefore, we have developed a scenario based on the operation of a UCDPR in an actual environment and have performed control simulations based on this operational scenario.…”