改进RRT算法在未知三维环境下AUV目标搜索中的应用

针对未知水下环境下的自主水下航行器（autonomous underwater vehicle,AUV）目标搜索问题,传统方法搜索速度慢且以解决二维平面下搜索问题为主,本文提出了一种基于改进RRT (rapid-exploration random tree)的未知三维环境目标搜索算法。在搜索方面,分别建立了包括目标存在概率地图、不确定度地图、区域遍历度地图在内的实时地图并设定其更新规则,根据搜索目标建立决策函数;在局部规划方面,将滚动规划与改进RRT算法相结合,规划出到搜索决策点的路径。二者的结合,实现了AUV在三维空间下在线实时搜索。仿真表明,该算法具有较强的遍历能力,提高了三维空间下目标搜索的速度。     

基于多AUV间任务协作的水下多目标探测路径规划

利用自主式水下航行器(Autonomous Underwater Vehicle,AUV)对水下多目标进行协同探测是目前海洋技术领域的研究热点.主要研究在水下三维区间内的多AUV任务分配与协作探测路径规划机制,建立了以每个AUV能量耗费与能耗均衡为约束条件的水下三维空间中的多旅行商MTSP(Multiple Traveling Salesman Problem)问题模型,利用遗传算法GA(Genetic Algorithm)对该NP-Complete问题进行启发式求解,同时设计了考虑巡航总路径及访问目标数的适应度函数以提高多AUV间的能耗均衡性,实现多个AUV对多个水下目标的优化协同探测.最后本文利用MATLAB R2014a软件对多AUV任务协作与多目标探测路径规划机制进行了仿真,仿真结果验证了本文方法能均衡多AUV多目标探测问题的能量消耗,进而提高巡航速度和生命周期.     

AUV控制系统规划层使命与任务协调方法研究

以地形勘查使命为背景，对AUV(自治式水下机器人)规划层使命与任务协调方法进行了研究．介绍了AUV控制系统的逻辑结构，采用分层Petri网对AUV规划层离散事件系统进行了建模，通过对向目标区域航行任务库所进行扩展阐述了任务规划层的分层Petri网模型．提出了一种基于改进RW离散事件监控理论的协调方法，分别阐述了AUV使命与任务规划层离散事件系统的监控与协调．最后，通过湖试试验验证了AUV规划层使命与任务协调方法的正确性．     

基于多AUV间任务协作的水下多目标探测机制

利用自主式水下航行器（Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, AUV）对水下多目标进行协同探测是目前海洋技术领域的研究热点。本文主要研究在水下三维区间内的多AUV任务分配与协作探测机制,建立了以每个AUV能量耗费与能耗均衡为约束条件的水下三维空间中的多旅行商（Multiple Traveling Salesman Problem, MTSP）问题模型,利用遗传算法（Genetic Algorithm, GA）对该NP-Complete问题进行启发式求解,同时设计了考虑巡航总路径及访问目标数的适应度函数以提高多AUV间的能耗均衡性,实现多个AUV对多个水下目标的优化协同探测。最后本文利用Matlab R2014a软件对多AUV任务协作与多目标探测机制进行了仿真,仿真结果验证了该方法能够均衡多AUV多目标探测问题的能量消耗,进而提高巡航速度和生命周期。     

自治水下机器人的局部规划方法

针对自治水下机器人(AUV)所处的真实海洋环境,通过分析长距离航行时AUV局部规划必须考虑的各种因素和可能产生的影响,设计一种局部规划器的结构,提出基于模糊逻辑的解决方案。该方法能实时综合考虑机器人的各种状态、其所处的海洋环境及任务目标情况,并根据三者间的关系得出速度折扣因子。实验表明,该方法能有效处理海洋环境下AUV大范围长距离航行的局部规划问题。     

一种改进的多AUV协同导航数学模型

自主式水下航行器(Autonomous Underwater Vehicle,AUV)代表了未来水下航行器发展的方向,多AUV协同导航系统通过信息的共享,可以获得单AUV导航系统无法具备的优势。分析了多AUV协同导航基本原理和两种网络结构的优缺点,提出了一种新的改进的多AUV协同导航网络结构,并推导出了其运动模型和量测模型,为后续协同导航算法的研究打下了基础。     

混合驱动水下航行器水平推进模式水动力特性

关于水下航行器结构设计优化问题,混合驱动水下航行器(HUG)是一种新型水下航行器,实现了自治式水下航行器(AUV)与水下滑翔机(AUG)结构和功能的集成,具有航速大、航程长、机动性好等特点.混合驱动水下航行器所受水阻力与机动性是其水平推进模式(AUV模式)下的重要性能指标.针对混合驱动水下航行器的要求与结构特点,采用计算流体力学方法,分析了航行器在AUV模式下的航行水阻力和机动性.研究表明,混合驱动水下航行器在集成AUV与AUG功能优势的同时,在AUV运行模式下,航行阻力将增大约30％,航行机动性降低约15 ～25％.结果为混合驱动水下航行器的外形设计提供了依据.     

基于单领航者相对位置测量的多AUV协同导航系统定位性能分析

自主水下航行器 (Autonomous underwater vehicle, AUV) 的协同导航是解决水下导航定位问题的重要方法, 其中导航系统的定位误差增长特性是衡量其定位性能的关键指标. 本文针对单领航者相对位置测量的多 AUV 协同导航系统, 利用扩展卡尔曼滤波方法建立了导航系统的整体定位误差关于相对位置量测误差的传递方程. 在此基础上, 通过求解系统定位误差随时间演化的代数黎卡提方程, 得到了其在稳态情形下的方差上界估计. 理论分析表明, 单领航 AUV 协同导航系统的整体定位误差有界收敛且与初始化滤波方差无关, 具有良好的综合性能. 最后, 仿真实例验证了文中理论分析结果的正确性.     

异时量测序贯处理的多AUV协同导航

利用多个体之间的相对信息提高个体的定位精度的协同导航是一个很值得探讨的问题。自治水下航行器（AUV）在移动长基线（MLBL）网络中获取各应答器的位置信息并解算出相对各应答器的距离量测后,再通过贝叶斯滤波算法集中式提高其定位精度。但是,集中式利用量测的方法没有考虑由于水下环境的宽广性和水下传感器的限制导致的声信号在AUV和应答器间的往返时间内AUV的移动和应答器间位置的差异所带来的影响。首先以并行滤波的形式总结了集中式扩展卡尔曼滤波（EKF）协同导航方法,并针对集中式利用量测的不利因素,提出了按照异时量测的产生顺序即时更新AUV状态的更有效的序贯EKF协同导航算法,最后在仿真中将两种处理方法进行了比较。     

多AUV协同导航问题的研究现状与进展

自主水下航行器(Autonomous underwater vehicle, AUV)协同导航是未来50年解决水下中间层区域AUV导航定位的重要方法. 本文针对多AUV协同导航, 对该领域相关问题的研究进展进行了综述, 包括: 1)论述多AUV协同导航领域的研究现状, 包括协同导航问题界定、特点综述与讨论; 2)分析多AUV协同导航系统模型及相关算法的研究进展, 包括基于优化的、 基于参数估计的和基于贝叶斯估计的滤波算法; 3)对协同导航网络下的误差建模与补偿方法的研究进展进行了综述, 包括未知洋流的影响、水声通信延迟补偿等; 4)从影响协同导航定位精度的角度出发, 对AUV协同导航的可观测性与编队最优构型设计的研究进展进行了一系列的分析; 5)陈述目前多AUV协同导航中存在的关键问题, 并讨论其发展趋势.     

Improving the coordination efficiency of limited‐communication multi–autonomus underwater vehicle operations using a multiagent architecture

This research addresses the problem of coordinating multiple autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) operations. An intelligent mission executive has been created that uses multiagent technology to control and coordinate multiple AUVs in communication‐deficient environments. By incorporating real‐time vehicle prediction, blackboard‐based hierarchical mission plans, mission optimization, and a distributed multiagent–based paradigm in conjunction with a simple broadcast communication system, this research aims to handle the limitations inherent in underwater operations, namely poor communication, and intelligently control multiple vehicles. In this research, efficiency is evaluated and then compared to the current state of the art in multiple AUV control. The research is then validated in real AUV coordination trials. Results will show that compared to the state of the art, the control system developed and implemented in this research coordinates multiple vehicles more efficiently and is able to function in a range of poor communication environments. These findings are supported by in‐water validation trials with heterogeneous AUVs. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Development of an Unmanned Surface Vehicle System for the 2014 Maritime RobotX Challenge

This paper addresses the development of an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) system by Team Angry‐Nerds from KAIST for the inaugural Maritime RobotX Challenge competition, which was held on October 20‐26, 2014, in Marina Bay, Singapore. The USV hardware was developed on a catamaran platform by integrating various system components, including propulsion, sensors, computer, power, and emergency systems. The competition comprised five mission tasks: 1) navigation and control, 2) underwater search and report, 3) automatic docking, 4) buoy search and observation, and 5) obstacle detection and avoidance. Onboard intelligence was a key factor for all of the mission tasks which needed to be performed autonomously with no human intervention. Software algorithms for vehicle autonomy were developed, and executable computer codes were implemented and integrated with the developed USV hardware system. This paper describes the development process of the USV system and its application to the competition mission tasks.     

Multi‐AUV motion planning for archeological site mapping and photogrammetric reconstruction

This paper presents coupled and decoupled multi‐autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) motion planning approaches for maximizing information gain. The work is motivated by applications in which multiple AUVs are tasked with obtaining video footage for the photogrammetric reconstruction of underwater archeological sites. Each AUV is equipped with a video camera and side‐scan sonar. The side‐scan sonar is used to initially collect low‐resolution data to construct an information map of the site. Coupled and decoupled motion planning approaches with respect to this map are presented. Both planning methods seek to generate multi‐AUV trajectories that capture close‐up video footage of a site from a variety of different viewpoints, building on prior work in single‐AUV rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) motion planning. The coupled and decoupled planners are compared in simulation. In addition, the multiple AUV trajectories constructed by each planner were executed at archeological sites located off the coast of Malta, albeit by a single‐AUV due to limited resources. Specifically, each AUV trajectory for a plan was executed in sequence instead of simultaneously. Modifications are also made by both planners to a baseline RRT algorithm. The results of the paper present a number of trade‐offs between the two planning approaches and demonstrate a large improvement in map coverage efficiency and runtime.     

An Empirical Evaluation of Co-ordination Strategies for an AUV and UAV

We propose a framework for cooperative search using a combination of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). Such a combination allows search platforms to adapt to changes in both mission objectives and environmental parameters. We propose three strategies for coordination between an UAV and AUV to maximize the area explored while minimizing the idle time of the UAV and AUV. We evaluate the efficacy of these strategies while varying the speed, communication range and the number of targets. Preliminary results suggest the feasibility of our approach to combine UAVs and AUVs for effectively searching a given area.     

Experimental analysis of low‐altitude terrain following for hover‐capable flight‐style autonomous underwater vehicles

Operating an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in close proximity to terrain typically relies solely on the vehicle sensors for terrain detection, and challenges the manoeuvrability of energy efficient flight‐style AUVs. This paper gives new results on altitude tracking limits of such vehicles by using the fully understood environment of a lake to perform repeated experiments while varying the altitude demand, obstacle detection and actuator use of a hover‐capable flight‐style AUV. The results are analysed for mission success, vehicle risk and repeatability, demonstrating the terrain following capabilities of the overactuated AUV over a range of altitude tracking strategies and how these measures better inform vehicle operators. A major conclusion is that the effects of range limits, bias and false detections of the sensors used for altitude tracking must be fully accounted for to enable mission success. Furthermore it was found that switching between hover‐ and flight‐style actuations based on speed, whilst varying the operation speed, has advantages for performance improvement over combining hover‐ and flight‐style actuators at high speeds.     

自治水下机器人的自主启发式生物启发神经网络路径规划算法

针对复杂海流环境下自治水下机器人(autonomous underwater vehicle, AUV)的路径规划问题,本文在栅格地图的基础上给出了一种基于离散的生物启发神经网络(Glasius bio-inspired neural networks, GBNN)模型的新型自主启发式路径规划和安全避障算法,并考虑海流对路径规划的影响.首先建立GBNN模型,利用此模型表示AUV的工作环境,神经网络中的每一个神经元与栅格地图中的位置单元一一对应;其次,根据神经网络中神经元的活性输出值分布情况并结合方向信度算法实现自主规划AUV的运动路径;最后根据矢量合成算法确定AUV实际的航行方向.障碍物环境和海流环境下仿真实验结果表明了生物启发模型在AUV水下环境中路径规划的有效性.     

Cooperative formation control of autonomous underwater vehicles: An overview

Formation control is a cooperative control concept in which multiple autonomous underwater mobile robots are deployed for a group motion and/or control mission. This paper presents a brief review on various cooperative search and formation control strategies for multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) based on literature reported till date. Various cooperative and formation control schemes for collecting huge amount of data based on formation regulation control and formation tracking control are discussed. To address the challenge of detecting AUV failure in the fleet, communication issues, collision and obstacle avoidance are also taken into attention. Stability analysis of the feasible formation is also presented. This paper may be intended to serve as a convenient reference for the further research on formation control of multiple underwater mobile robots.     

基于生物启发模型的AUV三维自主路径规划与安全避障算法

针对自治水下机器人(AUV)的路径规划问题,在三维栅格地图的基础上,给出一种基于生物启发模型的三维路径规划和安全避障算法. 首先建立三维生物启发神经网络模型,利用此模型表示AUV的三维工作环境,神经网络中的每一个神经元与栅格地图中的位置单元一一对应;然后,根据神经网络中神经元的活性输出值分布情况自主规划AUV的运动路径.静态环境与动态环境下仿真实验结果表明了生物启发模型在AUV三维水下环境中路径规划和安全避障上的有效性.     

Dual-eyes Vision-based Docking System for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle: an Approach and Experiments

A critical challenge for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) is the docking operation for applications such as sleeping under the mother ship, recharging batteries, transferring data, and new mission downloading. The final stage of docking at a unidirectional docking station requires the AUV to approach while keeping the pose (position and orientation) of the vehicle within an allowable range. The appropriate pose therefore demands a sensor unit and a control system that have high accuracy and robustness against disturbances existing in a real-world underwater environment. This paper presents a vision-based AUV docking system consisting of a 3D model-based matching method and Real-time Multi-step Genetic Algorithm (GA) for real-time estimation of the robot’s relative pose. Experiments using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) with dual-eye cameras and a separate 3D marker were conducted in a small indoor pool. The experimental results confirmed that the proposed system is able to provide high homing accuracy and robustness against disturbances that influence not only the captured camera images but also the movement of the vehicle. A successful docking operation using stereo vision that is new and novel to the underwater vehicle environment was achieved and thus proved the effectiveness of the proposed system for AUV.     

Multisensor online 3D view planning for autonomous underwater exploration

This study presents a novel octree‐based three‐dimensional (3D) exploration and coverage method for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Robotic exploration can be defined as the task of obtaining a full map of an unknown environment with a robotic system, achieving full coverage of the area of interest with data from a particular sensor or set of sensors. While most robotic exploration algorithms consider only occupancy data, typically acquired by a range sensor, our approach also takes into account optical coverage, so the environment is discovered with occupancy and optical data of all discovered surfaces in a single exploration mission. In the context of underwater robotics, this capability is of particular interest, since it allows one to obtain better data while reducing operational costs and time. This study expands our previous study in 3D underwater exploration, which was demonstrated through simulation, presenting improvements in the view planning (VP) algorithm and field validation. Our proposal combines VP with frontier‐based (FB) methods, and remains light on computations even for 3D environments thanks to the use of the octree data structure. Finally, this study also presents extensive field evaluation and validation using the Girona 500 AUV. In this regard, the algorithm has been tested in different scenarios, such as a harbor structure, a breakwater structure, and an underwater boulder.