Motion estimation for ROV stabilization with a light-stripe sensor

Since the late 1970's, the usefulness of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) in field applications has been largely demonstrated. For concerns such as operational cost, simplicity of use, and performance, the trend is now at the automation of teleoperated tasks, so that autonomous ROV stabilization procedures are desired. This requires means of estimating the relative motion between the platform and the offshore structure. This paper addresses the problem of relative motion estimation by considering an offshore structure made of cylinders and a light-stripe sensor. Simulation results of the proposed algorithm are presented. An experimental setup, currently tested 'in air', is then described. It is based on a new generation of smart cameras, which integrate the light-sensitive elements and three image processors on a single chip, and driven by a transputer network.