B63G2008/005

Binocular robot for bridge underwater detection based on 5G communication

The invention discloses a binocular robot for bridge underwater detection based on 5G communication. The robot includes a body, a base, a power arm, a video collection component, a communication component and a power component. The underwater part of the bridge may be collected in the form of a video by the configured video collection component, and the robot may be driven by the power component to move underwater. Driven by a first motor, a binocular camera may rotate to observe various orientations underwater, and meanwhile may drive a cleaning component coordinated with an electric top block to wipe the lens of the binocular camera, so that the video information may be collected clearly underwater. Finally, the video information may be transmitted to a worker on the water through the communication component to achieve the effect of remote detection, which saves the underwater detection cost and improves detection efficiency.

UNDERWATER OPTICAL METROLOGY SYSTEM
20210382171 · 2021-12-09 · ·

Described herein are methods and devices for improved location of any and all underwater structures or equipment installed underwater. In particular, systems are disclosed that combine optical and acoustic metrology for locating objects in underwater environments. The systems allow for relative positions of objects to be determined with great accuracy using optical techniques, and support enhanced location of devices that utilize acoustic location techniques. In addition, location information can be provided by the system even in conditions that make optical metrology techniques impossible or impractical.

SUBSEA ROBOT AND METHOD FOR DETECTING NORM BREAKDOWN IN A PRODUCTION SYSTEM

In order to meet the objectives described above, the present invention provides a robot for detecting breakdown of NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) in a production system, in order to plan operations to remove scale containing radioactive material, and for decommissioning subsea system operations. The fields of application are the area of flow assurance and reservoir management, using operations to chemically remove scale containing NORM in the production system, and to improve the safety of the decommissioning processes of production systems. The invention allows the position of the scale inside the production system to be safely detected, such as, for example, the beginning of the deposit inside a production line, the extension of the deposit, and the end of the deposit, as well as whether the deposit occurred at different points along the production line.

UNDERWATER ROBOT, AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME
20220161911 · 2022-05-26 ·

Provided are an underwater robot and a method and apparatus for controlling an underwater robot. The underwater robot includes a robot body and at least three groups of thruster arrays disposed on sides of the robot body. Each group of thruster array includes two thruster components, each of the two thruster components includes a housing and a propelling mechanism, the two thruster components in each group of thruster array are symmetrically disposed on two sides of the robot body about a central axis of the robot body, and at least three values of included angles between propelling directions of at least three thruster components located on a same side of the central axis, and the central axis are formed. The control method includes: acquiring coordinates of a target position point and enabling a robot body to arrive at the target position point by using at least three groups of thruster arrays disposed on sides of the robot body.

Autonomous seabased resupply system

An exemplary autonomous seabased resupply system includes an unmanned blob positioned in a water body, the blob containing fuel, a pump on the blob configured to pump the fuel through a conduit to a craft, and a ballast system operable to change a vertical position of the blob in the water body.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR A FREE-SWIMMING SOFT UNDERWATER ROBOT USING ADAPTIVE THREE-AXIS DEPTH CONTROL TO MONITOR MARINE ENVIRONMENTS
20230264794 · 2023-08-24 ·

An underwater robot apparatus that is capable of omnidirectional lateral movement using Bluetooth, depth, temperature, and light sensors for monitoring the marine environment. The apparatus is an adaptive, three-axis control soft robotic apparatus embedded with sensors and can swim in three dimensions to record aquatic life. An adaptive controller within the soft robotic apparatus produces positive upward motion despite its negative buoyancy and additional pressure vessel mass. A submersible impellor pump is connected to each actuator grouping wherein propulsion is created by filling and emptying of nine tentacles with surrounding ambient water. The apparatus produces maximum thrust using a full stroke actuation scheme at a frequency of 0.3 Hz. In addition to upward motion, the apparatus effects lateral motion utilizing two of three sets of actuator groups for more complex travel. An onboard pressure sensor coupled with the adaptive controller, allows the apparatus to autonomously hold to a predetermined depth.

UNMANNED VEHICLE CONTROL AND OPERATION IN A MARINE ENVIRONMENT
20230259128 · 2023-08-17 ·

Many different types of systems are utilized or tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of unmanned vehicles, or drones, that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more unmanned vehicles can be integrated with a dedicated marine electronic device of a marine vessel for autonomous control and operation. Additionally or alternatively, the unmanned vehicle can be manually remote operated during use in the marine environment. Such unmanned vehicles can be utilized in many different marine environment systems or tasks, including, for example, navigation, sonar, radar, search and rescue, video streaming, alert functionality, among many others. However, as contemplated by the present invention, the marine environment provides many unique challenges that may be accounted for with operation and control of an unmanned vehicle.

Passive ballast device, system and methods of using same

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.

SYSTEMS, APPARATUSES, AND METHODS FOR MEASURING SUBMERGED SURFACES
20220136984 · 2022-05-05 ·

The present disclosure provides systems, apparatuses, and methods for measuring submerged surfaces. Embodiments include a measurement apparatus including a main frame, a source positioned outside a pipe and connected to the main frame, and a detector positioned outside the pipe at a location diametrically opposite the source and connected to the main frame. The source may transmit a first amount of radiation. The detector may receive a second amount of radiation, determine a composition of the pipe based on the first and second amounts of radiation, and send at least one measurement signal. A control canister positioned on the main frame or on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) attached to the apparatus may receive the at least one measurement signal from the detector and convey the at least one measurement signal to software located topside.

Multiple autonomous underwater vehicle systems and methods

Multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are operated by a host platform by configuring the AUVs with intermediate nodes (such as unmanned surface vehicles (USVs)) so as to allow the host platform to manage multiple AUVs. The intermediate nodes act as a relay for communications between the host platform and the AUVs allowing the host platform to scale to higher numbers of vehicles thus simultaneously operating the entire fleet of AUVs. The AUVs may provide underwater mapping data. The host platform may be stationary. The host platform may communicate with the intermediate nodes by satellite.