A passive ballast device, system and method of using same, configured for use with a submersible vehicle in a liquid environment, including a chamber having at least one rigid wall to define at least a portion of a chamber volume, and a passively movable compensator having at least first and second surfaces, the first surface configured to be exposed to the liquid environment, the second surface excluded from the liquid environment, and forming, together with the at least one wall of the chamber, a fluid-tight seal to establish the remainder of the chamber volume, to exclude the liquid environment from the chamber volume and configured to adjust the chamber volume to at least a first chamber volume and a second chamber volume. The chamber volume is configured to establish at least a first buoyancy and second buoyancy, the compensator is configured to respond to a change in environmental pressure within the liquid environment, and the compensator is passively moved by the change in environmental pressure to change the first chamber volume to the second chamber volume, thereby changing from the first buoyancy to the second buoyancy.

A passive ballast device, system and method of using same, configured for use with a submersible vehicle in a liquid environment, including a chamber having at least one rigid wall to define at least a portion of a chamber volume, and a passively movable compensator having at least first and second surfaces, the first surface configured to be exposed to the liquid environment, the second surface excluded from the liquid environment, and forming, together with the at least one wall of the chamber, a fluid-tight seal to establish the remainder of the chamber volume, to exclude the liquid environment from the chamber volume and configured to adjust the chamber volume to at least a first chamber volume and a second chamber volume. The chamber volume is configured to establish at least a first buoyancy and second buoyancy, the compensator is configured to respond to a change in environmental pressure within the liquid environment, and the compensator is passively moved by the change in environmental pressure to change the first chamber volume to the second chamber volume, thereby changing from the first buoyancy to the second buoyancy.

A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The main body of the vehicle is a spherical body.

A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The main body of the vehicle is a spherical body.

Provided are an apparatus and a method of controlling swimming for a robotic fish. The robotic fish, which is operated in a narrow space like an aquarium, often hits the outer wall during submerging or upwardly swimming. In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides an inclination adjusting means, which adjusts the inclination while generating the rotational propulsive force, it is possible to do smooth submergence and upwardly swimming in the narrow space.

A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The main body of the vehicle is a spherical body.

A field configurable autonomous vehicle includes modular elements and attachable components. The vehicle can be assembled from these modular elements and components to meet desired mission and performance characteristics without the need to purchase specially designed vehicles for each mission. The main body of the vehicle is a spherical body.

A driving method is implemented to a lifting device of an underwater survey system, and the lifting device includes a phase-change heat exchange module, an oil bag module, a pressurized energy storage module, and a drive energy storage module. The driving method includes: controlling the pressurized energy storage module to extract hydraulic oil in the oil bag module to descend the lifting device; during a transformation of a phase-change material, the pressurized energy storage module transmitting hydraulic oil to the phase-change heat exchange module; transmitting the hydraulic oil inside the oil bag module to the pressurized energy storage module to descend the lifting device; controlling the drive energy storage module to transmit hydraulic oil to the oil bag module for rising the lifting device; and during a transformation of the phase-change material, transmitting the hydraulic oil in the phase-change heat exchange module to the drive energy storage module.

A driving method is implemented to a lifting device of an underwater survey system, and the lifting device includes a phase-change heat exchange module, an oil bag module, a pressurized energy storage module, and a drive energy storage module. The driving method includes: controlling the pressurized energy storage module to extract hydraulic oil in the oil bag module to descend the lifting device; during a transformation of a phase-change material, the pressurized energy storage module transmitting hydraulic oil to the phase-change heat exchange module; transmitting the hydraulic oil inside the oil bag module to the pressurized energy storage module to descend the lifting device; controlling the drive energy storage module to transmit hydraulic oil to the oil bag module for rising the lifting device; and during a transformation of the phase-change material, transmitting the hydraulic oil in the phase-change heat exchange module to the drive energy storage module.

A driving method is implemented to a lifting device of an underwater survey system, and the lifting device includes a phase-change heat exchange module, an oil bag module, a pressurized energy storage module, and a drive energy storage module. The driving method includes: controlling the pressurized energy storage module to extract hydraulic oil in the oil bag module to descend the lifting device; during a transformation of a phase-change material, the pressurized energy storage module transmitting hydraulic oil to the phase-change heat exchange module; transmitting the hydraulic oil inside the oil bag module to the pressurized energy storage module to descend the lifting device; controlling the drive energy storage module to transmit hydraulic oil to the oil bag module for rising the lifting device; and during a transformation of the phase-change material, transmitting the hydraulic oil in the phase-change heat exchange module to the drive energy storage module.