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The Aquatic Surface Robot (AnSweR), a Lightweight, Low Cost, Multipurpose Unmanned Research Vessel

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Intelligent Technologies and Applications (INTAP 2020)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 1382))

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Abstract

Even though a few examples of aquatic surface robots exist, they are generally expensive, relatively large and heavy and tailored to custom-made hardware/software components that are not openly available to a broad public. In this work, the Aquatic Surface Robot (AnSweR), a newly-designed, lightweight, low cost, open-source, multipurpose unmanned research vessel is presented. The AnSweR features a lightweight and compact design that makes it fit in a backpack. Low-noise operation (in and above the surface) is achieved with a propulsion system based on two water-jets. Only affordable commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components are adopted. The primary goal of the AnSweR is to map underwater landscapes and to collect bathymetry data in lakes, rivers, and coastal ecosystems. A modular hardware and software architecture is adopted. This architecture allows the AnSweR to be equipped with a customisable add-on set of sensors and actuators to enable a variety of research activities, such as measuring environmental variables (e.g., salinity, oxygen, temperature) and sampling operations (e.g., sediment, vegetation, microplastics). The software architecture is based on the Robot Operating System (ROS). This paper describes the design of AnSweR as the main scientific contribution and presents preliminary simulation and experimental results which illustrate its potential.

This work is supported by the Top Research Centre Mechatronics, University of Agder (UiA), Jon Lilletuns vei 9, 4879, Grimstad, Norway.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Erlend Helgerud, Sondre Lieblein Aronsen and John Mulholland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Agder (UiA), Jon Lilletuns vei 9, 4879, Grimstad, Norway

    Filippo Sanfilippo

  2. Department of Mechanical, Electronic and Chemical Engineering, Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), PO box 4, St. Olavs plass, 0130, Oslo, Norway

    Filippo Sanfilippo

  3. Department of Science and Industry Systems, University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), Post box 235, 3603, Kongsberg, Norway

    Min Tang

  4. Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Universitetsalléen 11, 8026, Bodø, Norway

    Sam Steyaert

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  1. Filippo Sanfilippo
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  2. Min Tang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Filippo Sanfilippo .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. NTNU, Gjøvik, Norway

    Sule Yildirim Yayilgan

  2. The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan

    Imran Sarwar Bajwa

  3. University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway

    Filippo Sanfilippo

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Sanfilippo, F., Tang, M., Steyaert, S. (2021). The Aquatic Surface Robot (AnSweR), a Lightweight, Low Cost, Multipurpose Unmanned Research Vessel. In: Yildirim Yayilgan, S., Bajwa, I.S., Sanfilippo, F. (eds) Intelligent Technologies and Applications. INTAP 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1382. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71711-7_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71711-7_21

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