Relative navigation of an AUV using image-and-acoustic based profiling systems

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are suitable for ocean observation, since they can swim freely without an umbilical cable. There is a great demand for AUVs not only for wide area surveys, but also for condition surveys of artificial underwater structures. This paper proposes a real-time localization method for navigation that can obtain robust and autonomous observations by fusing data from multiple sensors. This method enables an AUV to localize itself in relation to underwater structures without any support systems except its own sensors. It was actually implemented using the testbed AUV "Tri-Dog 1" and verified by tank tests

[1]  A. J. Healey,et al.  Asynchronous data fusion for AUV navigation via heuristic fuzzy filtering techniques , 1997, Oceans '97. MTS/IEEE Conference Proceedings.

[2]  Hugh F. Durrant-Whyte,et al.  Multisensor data fusion for underwater navigation , 2001, Robotics Auton. Syst..

[3]  Hayato Kondo,et al.  Object observation in detail by the AUV "Tri-Dog 1" with laser pointers , 2001, MTS/IEEE Oceans 2001. An Ocean Odyssey. Conference Proceedings (IEEE Cat. No.01CH37295).

[4]  T. Maki,et al.  Structure tracing with a ranging system using a sheet laser beam , 2004, Proceedings of the 2004 International Symposium on Underwater Technology (IEEE Cat. No.04EX869).

[5]  Hayato Kondo,et al.  Development of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle "Tri-Dog" Toward Practical Use in Shallow Water , 2001, J. Robotics Mechatronics.

[6]  B. Kalyan,et al.  Multiple sensors based navigation scheme for AUV position estimation , 2004, Proceedings of the 2004 International Symposium on Underwater Technology (IEEE Cat. No.04EX869).

[7]  Tamaki Ura,et al.  Visual investigation of underwater structures by the AUV and sea trials , 2003, Oceans 2003. Celebrating the Past ... Teaming Toward the Future (IEEE Cat. No.03CH37492).

[8]  Wolfram Burgard,et al.  Monte Carlo localization for mobile robots , 1999, Proceedings 1999 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.99CH36288C).

[9]  Hayato Kondo,et al.  Detailed object observation by autonomous underwater vehicle with localization involving uncertainty of magnetic bearings , 2002, Proceedings 2002 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.02CH37292).