<title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>Situations exist that require the ability to preposition a basic level of energy infrastructure. Exploring and developing arctic’s oil potential, providing power areas damaged by natural or man-made disasters, deploying forward operating bases are some examples. This project will develop create proof-of-concept electric prepositioning system using small autonomous swarm robots each containing electronic building block. Given high-level delivery...

This paper describes analysis of steady motions for underwater gliders, a type highly efficient vehicle which uses gravity propulsion. Underwater gliders are winged vehicles locomote by modulating their buoyancy and attitude. Several have been developed proven worth as long-distance, long-duration ocean sampling platforms. so because they spend much flight time in stable, motion. Wings-level gliding has well studied, but turning is more subtle. presents an approximate analytical expression...

This paper describes an underwater glider motion control system intended to enhance locomotive efficiency by reducing the energy expended vehicle guidance. In previous work, authors derived approximate analytical expression for steady turning applying regular perturbation theory a realistic model. The analysis results suggested use of well-known time-optimal path planning procedure developed Dubins car, often-used model wheeled mobile robot. For gliders operating at their most efficient...

This letter presents the design and potential impact of developed Research Oriented Underwater Glider for Hands-on Investigative Engineering (ROUGHIE). The ROUGHIE is an open-source, highly maneuverable, low-cost vehicle that enables rapid development testing new hardware software. internally actuated glider capable performing steady sawtooth glides in shallow water down to 3 m, tight turns with a minimum radius endurance 60 h. novelty this study twofold: 1) rail-based facilitate modularity...

The energy limitation of robotic networks has hindered search and rescue missions. In this paper, we propose a mission planning method that overcomes the by deploying static charging stations. Taking objectives constraints into consideration, proposed provides working robot trajectories station locations together to optimize overall performance. efficient for robots considers priority area facilitate smart cycling. addition, geographic is considered when finding Simulation results...

This paper presents the optimization of a novel docking design for and charging autonomous underwater vehicles. The has been optimized to maximize capture envelope minimize maximum contact force. Two parameters, sweep angle ramp angle, were as was velocity during terminal homing capture. an exhaustive with 5600 unique simulations completed that included vehicle hydrodynamics, impact dynamics, controller. Unique presented is ability support wide variety vehicles from different size classes...

Operation of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in large spatiotemporal missions is currently challenged by onboard energy resources requiring manned support. With current methods, AUVs are programmed to return a static charging station based on threshold their level. Although this approach has shown success extending the operational life, it becomes impractical due interruption AUV operation and loss needed station. It also not practical for networks shortage stations. We introduce...

One of the main limiting factors in deployment marine robots is issue energy sustainability. This particularly challenging for traditional propeller-driven autonomous underwater vehicles which operate using intensive thrusters. emerging technology to enable persistent performance use recharging and retasking through docking stations. paper presents an integrated navigational algorithm facilitate reliable vehicles. Specifically, dynamically re-plans Dubins paths create efficient trajectory...

This work studies online learning-based trajectory planning for multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to estimate a water parameter field of interest in the under-ice environment. A centralized system is considered, where several fixed access points on ice layer are introduced as gateways communications between AUVs and remote data fusion center. We model Gaussian process with unknown hyper-parameters. The AUV trajectories sampling determined an epoch-by-epoch basis. At end each...

This paper presents innovative strategies to teach control and robotic concepts. These include: 1) a real world focus on social/environmental contexts that are meaningful "make difference"; 2) continuous design potential engagement through use of platform integrates with engineering; 3) mission-based versus application-based approaches, where application justifies the process; 4) hands-on, inquiry-based problem-solving. For this purpose Glider for Underwater Problem-solving Promotion...

Mobile robotics research and deployment is highly challenged by energy limitations, particularly in marine applications. This challenge can be addressed autonomous transfer sharing of addition to effective mission planning. Specifically, it possible overcome limitations robotic missions using an optimization approach that generate trajectories for both working robots mobile chargers while adapting environmental changes. Such a method must simultaneously optimize all the network able maximize...

This paper presents results from the integration of a compact quantum magnetometer system and an agile underwater glider for magnetic survey. A highly maneuverable glider, ROUGHIE, was customized to carry increased payload reduce vehicle’s signature. sensor suite composed vector scalar mounted in external boom at rear vehicle. The combined deployed constrained pool environment detect seeded targets create map test area. Presented is systematic disturbance reduction process, procedure anomaly...

Current off-the-shelf underwater gliders (UGs) are large, heavy, expensive, and difficult to modify, both in hardware software, which limits their use for multivehicle coordination experiments deployment high risk environments. To address these challenges, the Nonlinear Autonomous Systems Laboratory (NAS Lab) at Michigan Tech has designed two types of UGs concept development, testing, problem solving, additionally, scaffolding advanced interest education engineering. The first, a Glider...

The search mission for the missing MH370 airplane demonstrated that an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) managed by a crew is reliable resource critical missions. However, it highlighted cost associated with human support in robotic operations. This paper presents planning strategy takes constraints such as number of available AUVs and their characteristics, well charging resources (both energy-carrying agents stations) to generate set efficient trajectories locations either rendezvous or...

This article compares the three-dimensional angles of ankle during step turn and straight walking. We used an infrared camera system ( Qualisys Oqus ®) to track trajectories foot leg at different stages gait. The range motion (ROM) stance periods was estimated for both turn. duration combined phases heel strike loading response, mid stance, terminal pre-swing were determined measure average each phase. ROM in Inversion/Eversion (IE) increased turning while Medial/Lateral (ML) rotation...

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are a vital element for ocean exploration in various applications; however, energy sustainability still limits long-term operations. An option to overcome this problem is using underwater docking power and data transfer. To robustly guide an AUV into station, we propose vision algorithm short-distance detection. In paper, present Convolutional Neural Network architecture accurately estimate the dock position during terminal homing stage of docking....

The Energy-Rate method is an applied to determine the transient curves and stability chart for parametric equations. This based on first integral of energy systems. finds values parameters system equations in such a way that periodic response can be produced. In this study, following forced Mathieu equation: y" + hy' (1 - 2β cos (2rt)) y = sin² (rt) equation governs lateral vibration microcanilever resonator linear domain. Its β-r plane shows complicated map, which cannot detected by...

Buoyancy-driven underwater gliders (UGs) have proven to be quite effective for long-range, long-term oceanographic sampling. However, current off-the-shelf UGs are large, heavy, expensive, and difficult modify, both in hardware software, which prevents their frequent use lake observations limits researchers' ability perform multi-vehicle coordination experiments. Our research goal is develop that would share the buoyancy-driven concept with first generation of gliders, but smaller size,...

Classification of aerial imagery is essential for water channel surveillance and waterfront land cover characterization. It also beneficial to long-duration collaborative autonomous navigation both unmanned vehicles (UAVs) surface (ASVs) fulfill hydrologic data collection, environmental inspection, disaster warning tasks. Deep semantic segmentation networks trained on have shown great results, however, they require finely labeled data. Existing image datasets contain mostly urban scenes or...

Abstract Station keeping is an essential maneuver for autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs), mainly when used in confined spaces, to carry out surveys that require the ASV keep its position or collaboration with other where relative has impact over mission. However, this can become challenging classic feedback controllers due need accurate model of dynamics and environmental disturbances. This work proposes a predictive controller using neural network simulation error minimization (NNSEM–MPC)...

This paper presents the dynamic behavior of microcantilever-based microresonators and compares their steady state for polarized nonpolarized systems at different levels nonlinearities. A microcantilever, equipped with a time-varying capacitor, makes microresonator system. The capacitor is activated by constant polarization voltage, an alternative actuating voltage. partial differential equation motion vibrating electrode can be reduced to highly nonlinear parametric second order ordinary...