Development of a Control System for Multilink Manipulators on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles Dynamically Positioned over Seafloor Objects

Abstract

This article considers an approach to synthesizing a multilevel system to control movements of a multilink manipulator (MM) mounted on an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) for performing autonomous manipulative operations in the mode of dynamic positioning over various objects on the seafloor. The system is based on an upgraded method that, using point clouds received from the machine vision systems (MVS), provides high-accuracy determination of the shape and location of the work object relative to UUV. The preset trajectories of the MM working tool are overlaid on the identified surface of the object, with possible silting, fouling or deformation of the latter taken into account. To execute the programmed trajectories with the MM working tool, the following methods have been implemented in software: stabilization of UUV in hovering mode near the object, high-precision control of working tool’s movements, and also corrections of its trajectory taking into account UUV’s displacements relative to the object. The synthesized system has been developed in the C++ programming language. The operation of the system has been numerically simulated using a model of UUV with MM, as well as models of the environment and the target object, in the Matlab/Simulink and V-REP software packages. The results of the study show a high efficiency of the system both in processing sensor information and in providing the dynamic control of movements of an UUV with a MM.

Method of automatic docking of uninhabited underwater vehicles with underwater platforms using onboard multi-link manipulators

“…Процедура стыковки НПА начинается с определения пространственного положения и ориентации СП относительно НПА с помощью бортовых СТЗ, в качестве которых могут использоваться многолучевые сонары или стереокамеры. Известные системы [15,16]…”

“…1. Основные параметры НПА и ММ приведены в таблице, а полное описание параметров и характеристик модели приведено в работе [15].…”

A Review of the Various Control Algorithms for Trajectory Control of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

“…They found that the CFD approach was in excellent agreement with PIV measurements when simulating the essential unmeasured flow features required in the research and development process of UUVs. Konoplin et al [53] presented the development of a control system for multilink manipulators on UVVs. Their system was based on an improved method that utilized point clouds received from machine vision systems (MVSs).…”

Development and Field Testing of a Smart Support System for ROV Operators

“…Currently, operator support systems are widely used for various ROV types [4,[17][18][19][20][21]. The information and control system of a ROV [4] graphically displays its spatial orientation and the configuration of the underwater multi-joint manipulator mounted on it.…”

“…The supervisory control system [20] was designed to significantly increase the level of automation of manipulative operations by constructing the trajectories of the manipulator's working tool along the surfaces of working objects based on the target instructions given by the operator. The multilevel control system of multi-link manipulators of ROVs described in [21] was designed for autonomous manip-ulation operations. The system uses point clouds received from machine vision systems, provides high-accuracy determination of the shape and location of the work object relative to vehicle and forms a trajectory along its surface, with possible silting, fouling, or deformation of the latter taken into account.…”