Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Development and field experiments of a human-portable towed ROV for high-speed and wide area data acquisition

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Artificial Life and Robotics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents field experiments to test a human-portable towed remotely operated vehicle developed for shallow seabed image data acquisition at high speeds and over a wide range. Through analysis and fundamental experiments, we designed and developed the towed ROV with a multi-camera unit. The portable vehicle can be operated even from small boats. Therefore, it offers an alternative survey method to a Manta tow survey guided by divers. We also conducted field experiments to verify the effectiveness of its motion performance and image acquisition performance. The multi-camera unit mounted on the towed ROV recorded seabed images at several speeds of 0.67–1.52 m/s. After the experiments, we built several 3D models of the seabed offline using experimentally obtained images. From those experimentally obtained results, we conclude that this towed ROV with the multi-camera unit is promising for use in wide area observations and periodic monitoring of shallow seabed areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kan H, Urata K, Nagao M, Horie N, Fujita K, Yokoyama Y, Nakashima Y, Ohashi T, Goto K, Suzuki A (2015) Submerged karst landforms observed by multibeam bathymetric survey in Nagura Bay, Ishigaki Island, southwestern Japan. Geomorphology 229:112–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Damme TV (2015) Computer vision photogrammetry for underwater archaeological site recording in a low-visibility environment. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens Spat Inf Sci XL-5/W5:231–238. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-XL-5-W5-231-2015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Drap P, Seinturier J, Hijazi B, Merad D, Boï J, Chemisky B, Seguin E, Long L (2015) The ROV 3D project: deep-sea underwater survey using photogrammetry: applications for underwater archaeology. ACM J Comput Cult Herit 8(4):21:1–21:24

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bass DK, Miller IR (1995) Crown-of-thorns starfish and coral surveys using the manta tow and scuba search techniques. Standard operational procedure no. 1. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville

    Google Scholar 

  5. Mizuno K, Tabeta S, Matsumoto Y, Sakamoto S, Sugimoto Y, Ogawa T, Sugimoto K, Jimenez LA, Terayama K, Fukami H, Sakagami M, Deki M, Kawakubo A (2018) Development of a towed optical camera array system (SSS: Speedy Sea Scanner) for sea environmental monitoring In: Proceedings of 2018 OCEANS - MTS/IEEE Kobe Techno-Oceans (OTO), pp 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANSKOBE.2018.8558885

  6. Maki T, Noguchi Y, Kuranaga Y, Masuda K, Sakamaki T, Humblet M, Furushima Y (2018) Low-Altitude and high-speed terrain tracking method for lightweight AUVs. J Robot Mechatron 30(6):971–979

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Tabayashi Y, Komuro T (2017) 3D map generation using small ROV (in Japanese). In: Proceedings of the General Meeting of the Association of Japanese Geographers (2017s:737). https://doi.org/10.14866/ajg.2017s.0_100279

  8. General Dynamics Mission Systems (2019) Bluefin-9 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV). https://gdmissionsystems.com/products/underwater-vehicles/bluefin-9-autonomous-underwater-vehicle. Accessed 6 Jan 2020

  9. Kongsberg Maritime (2019) remus-100-autonomous-underwater-vehicle. https://www.kongsberg.com/globalassets/maritime/km-products/product-documents/remus-100-autonomous-underwater-vehicle. Accessed 6 Jan 2020

  10. Gee JS, Webb SC, Ridgway J, Staudigel H, Zumberge MA (2001GC) A deep tow magnetic survey of middle valley, Juan de Fuca Ridge. Geochem Geophys Geosyst 2(11):2001GC000170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Knutsen T, Melle W, Mjanger M, Strand E, Fuglestad A, Broms C, Bagoien E, Fitje H, Orjansen O, Vedeler T (2013) MESSOR—a towed underwater vehicle for quantifying and describing the distribution of pelagic organisms and their physical environment. In: Proceedings of 2013 MTS/IEEE OCEANS, Bergen, 2013, pp 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANS-Bergen.2013.6608177

  12. Kaneko A, Gohda N, Koterayama W, Nakamura M, Mizuno S, Furukawa H (1993) Towed ADCP fish with depth and roll controllable wings and its application to the Kuroshio observation. J Oceanogr 49:383–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Shiraishi T, Sakai H, Choi J, Tanaka T (2005) First sea trial of underwater observation system using autonomous towed vehicle. In: Proceedings of OOCEANS 2005 MTS/IEEE, Washington, DC, vol 2, pp 1364–1369. https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANS.2005.1639944

  14. Takemura F, Taba R, Hirayama K, Tansuriyavong S, Kawabata K, Sagara S, Ogasawara K (2017) Development of an altitude-keeping system for underwater robots using laser beams. Artif Life Robot 22:405–411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Teledyne Marine (2019) AUV/ROV thrusters—ROV accessories and options—Seabotix. https://www.teledynemarine.com/auv-rov-thrusters?BrandID=19. Accessed 6 Jan 2020

  16. Corda S (2017) Introduction to aerospace engineering with a Flight Test Perspective, 1st ed. Wiley

  17. Graver JG, Leonard NE (2001) Underwater glider dynamics and control. In: Proceedings of the 12th international symposium on unmanned untethered submersible technology, Durham, NH, pp 1–14. https://www.princeton.edu/~naomi/UUST02_post.pdf. Accessed 2 July 2020

  18. Ono R, Kan H, Sakagami N, Nagao M, Katagiri C (2014) First discovery and mapping of early modern grapnel anchors in Ishigaki Island and cultural resource management of underwater cultural heritages in Okinawa. The MUA Collection. http://www.themua.org/collections/items/show/1629. Accessed 2 July 2020

  19. Ono R, Katagiri C, Kan H, Nagao M, Nakanishi Y, Yamamoto Y, Takemura F, Sakagami N (2016) Discovery of iron grapnel anchors in early modern Ryukyu and management of underwater cultural heritage in Okinawa. Jpn Int J Naut Archaeol 45(1):77–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Agisoft (2019) Agisoft Metashape. https://www.agisoft.com/. Accessed 6 Jan 2019

  21. Dezuka TE, Oshima K, Ito M (2011) Motion analysis and control of towed vehicle with controllable Wings. J Japan Inst Mar Eng 46(1):99–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Kotaro Yamafune (Apparatus LLC) for helping us design the multi-camera unit and construct the 3D model of the archaeological site at Ishigaki Island. This work was supported by a JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) Grant Number 18K04073.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tokai University, Shizuoka, Japan

    Norimitsu Sakagami

  2. National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College, Nago, Japan

    Keita Hirayama, Ryo Taba, Shota Kobashigawa, Seita Arashiro & Fumiaki Takemura

  3. Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Japan

    Satoru Takahashi

Authors
  1. Norimitsu Sakagami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Keita Hirayama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ryo Taba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shota Kobashigawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Seita Arashiro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Fumiaki Takemura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Satoru Takahashi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Norimitsu Sakagami.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sakagami, N., Hirayama, K., Taba, R. et al. Development and field experiments of a human-portable towed ROV for high-speed and wide area data acquisition. Artif Life Robotics 26, 1–9 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-020-00616-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-020-00616-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation