MANO: An AUV for Engineering and Science Research

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MANO An AUV for Engineering and Science
Research
Alison Proctor
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Who We Are

• Ocean Technology Lab (OTL)
• Previous OTL Projects
• MACO Hybrid Autonomous Underwater Vehicle.
• Undersea Window High Definition Camera
  Platform.
• Underwater Acoustic Ranging System.

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Who We Are

• Ocean Technology Lab (OTL)
• Current Projects
• Ocean Technology Test Bed (OTTB)
• MANO Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

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MANO Project Overview

• Mission Statement
• To acquire a commercially available
  off-the-shelf AUV which can be used by academia
  and industry to develop and test new AUV products
  and develop new operational protocols which can
  expand the use of AUVs for science, security, and
  industrial purposes.
• Source of Funding
• Western Economic Diversification Canada
• Matching Funds
• Canadian Foundation for Innovation
• British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund
• Ping Digital Signal Processing Ltd.

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MANO Vehicle Description

• Torpedo style Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
• Free flooded hull
• Flexible payload configuration and software
  interface

Description Value (Imperial) Value (Imperial) Value (metric) Value (metric)
Vehicle Dimensions        
Hull Diameter 12.75 In 0.32 m
Length 148.5 In 3.77 m
Displacement        
Weight in Air 450 Lbs 204.12 kg
Buoyancy 7.5 Lbs 3.40 kg
Maneuvering        
Speed Range 0.5-5.0 kts 0.25-2.5 m/s
DVL range for bottom lock 656.17 ft 200 m
Operation Depth Rating 656.17 ft 200 m
Energy and Endurance        
Capacity 4.5 kWh    
Endurance 19.50 hrs _at_3kts with full payload _at_3kts with full payload
approximate - value depends on payload configuration approximate - value depends on payload configuration approximate - value depends on payload configuration
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MANO Payload Package

• AML Oceanographic Micro CTD (Conductivity,
  Temperature, and Depth)
• Standard data required for most science missions
• High speed sampling rates and rapid response
  times give high resolution data in high speed
  conditions

• Xchange sensors - field swappable sensors
• Only need to send the sensor back for
  recalibration not the entire instrument.
• Multiple sensors means no down time
• Ability to change the instrument range on the fly
• Custom MANO enclosure
• Allows the pressure housing to be mounted inside
  the vehicle with only the sensor heads exposed to
  the flow.

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MANO Payload Package

• Rockland Scientific MicroRider
• Turbulence sensor for profiling ocean
  microstructure
• Equipped with
• 2 microstructure turbulence shear probes
• 2 microstructure fast thermistors
• 1 High resolution pressure sensor
• 1 Three-axis, high-accuracy accelerometers for
  measurement instrument attitude and vibration
• Effectively being used on gliders already
• MANO will provide a platform for examining
  methods of integrating this instrument into AUVs
  

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MANO Payload Package

• JFE Alec Electronics - Rinko Fast Response Oxygen
  Sensor
• Optical DO sensor
• Response time lt1 second
• Small package (15.7cm long x 5.4cm diameter)
• Other commercial oxygen sensors have response
  times of 15-30 seconds. Not appropriate for
  sensing from an AUV

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MANO Payload Package

• Wet Labs ECO Puck
• Combo Fluorometer-Turbidity Sensor
• Measures chlorophyll-a and turbidity.
• Very small size (5.0 cm x 6.3 cm diameter)

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MANO Payload Package

• Ping Digital Signal Processing
• Prototype Forward Looking Imaging Sonar System.
  High resolution imaging for
• mapping,
• classification,
• object identification,
• obstacle avoidance
• and in-situ path planning
• Prototype Side Scan Sonar System. High
  resolution side scan imaging for
• Bathymetric mapping,
• Cataloging and classification,
• and, ultimately, synthetic aperture sonar (SAS).

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MANO Payload Package

• Camera and Lights
• Still looking for the perfect camera
• Any suggestions?

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MANO Payload Package

• Primary Electronics Enclosure
• Power electronics
• Networking electronics
• Data management computer and central storage
• Computer for developing experimental guidance and
  navigation algorithms
• Computer for developing experimental analysis
  software for sonars
• GPS
• TSR-100 Motion Reference Unit from Think Sensor
  Research
• GPS and MRU are redundant sensors that enable
  future research.

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OTTB Overview

• Ocean Technology Test Bed (OTTB) is an
  underwater laboratory for developing and testing
  new underwater sensors and vehicle technology.

Recoverable Platform
Service Buoy
VENUS Node
IAS Towers x 5
1km
1km
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OTTB Network Surface Segment

• Wireless Network
• Coverage over entire operating area with 15Mbps
  bandwidth
• Operators in the boat are in continuous
  communication with the underwater instruments
• On-site ROV
• Differential GPS Positioning for surface vehicles
• /-2cm accuracy
• positions integrated into OTTB tracking system

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OTTB Application Areas

• The easy of deployment and remote monitoring
  system make
• the OTTB an ideal place for both short and long
  term
• research and technology development projects.
• Basic Ocean Technology AUV and ROV control,
  acoustic tracking and communications.
• Oilfield Monitoring subsea equipment and
  instrumentation, surveys.
• Port Security object location and
  identification.
• Ocean Science cabled ocean observatories, sea
  floor mapping, ocean chemistry and biology.
• Military Applications mine detection,
  surveillance

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MANO OTTB Big Picture

• Combining the MANO and the OTTB
• Enable precision tracking inside the OTTB arena
  which can lead to new types of science missions
• OTTB can provide truth data for AUV when
  developing new guidance and navigation
  technologies.
• OTTB can facilitate the calibration and
  verification of sonar imaging systems.
• OTTB is an easily accessible training ground for
  proving out any new AUV technology

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Summary

• The OTL will be acquiring a new Bluefin-12 AUV in
  2010
• Already, we have 5 different first time
  instruments which will be tested and potentially
  released into the market as commercial AUV
  products.
• Ultimately, MANO will leverage the Ocean
  Technology Test Bed (OTTB), which is currently
  under construction, to become a full service AUV
  test platform

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The Endhttp//lacir.uvic.ca/ocean