A New Paradigm for Ship Hull Inspection Using a Holonomic Hovercapable AUV

The MIT AUV Lab, in association with Bluefin Robotics, has undertaken the task of designing a new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), a holonomic hover-capable robot capable of performing missions where an inspection capability similar to that of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) is the primary goal. Some shortcomings of the most common torpedo-like AUV have become clear, as interest has increased in using AUVs for new applications – those demanding close inspection, slow movement, and precise positioning. One of the primary issues in this mode of operating AUVs is how the robot perceives its environment and thus navigates. The predominant choices for navigating in close proximity to large iron structures, which precludes accurate fluxgate compass measurements, are all methods that require an AUV to receive position information updates from an outside source (i.e. LBL or USBL assisted location). The new paradigm we present in this paper divorces our navigation routines from any absolute reference frame except the depth of the robot. We argue that this technique offers substantial benefits over assistive-technology approaches, and will present the current status