BACKGROUND: Students at the University of Florida, Gainesville, are leading the design of the next generation of robotic underwater vehicles. Eight electrical and computer engineering students designed and built a 30-pound submarine, called the Subjugator, which placed first in a national competition of student-built robotic submarines.
WINNING DESIGN STRATEGY: One of the competition's main objectives was to build a robot that could find an underwater sound-generating device (called a "pinger") in a murky pond and then rise to the surface just above the pinger. The Florida team was one of three that succeeded, but they won because the Subjugator was at least 40 pounds lighter than the other finalists. The Florida students deliberately incorporated the electronics into a small shell to keep size and weight to a minimum, and they built their own electronics, rather than buying parts off the shelf. In addition to the electronics, the Subjugator has five thrusters for better directional control, and powered by lithium polymer batteries.
AUTOMATED ADVANTAGES: The Subjugator is still a research prototype, but it points the way toward a future in which smart, compact robotic submarines could be used to repair underwater pipelines. Remotely-operated submarines have the ability to lend assistance in underwater situations that are too dangerous or too deep for human divers. However, current models require a cable or other communications link to the operator at the surface. The next step is to make such submarines capable of navigating and completing tasks without human assistance. The biggest challenge is programming the subs to "see" and react to objects or changes in the terrain. This is difficult for robots on land, and even harder to accomplish underwater because of limited visibility and problems with controlling the robotic vessel.
HOW ROBOTS WORK: Robots are made of roughly the same components as human beings: a body structure with moveable joints; a muscle system outfitted with motors and actuators to move that body structure; a sensory system to collect information from the surrounding environment; a power source to activate the body; and a computer "brain" system to process sensory information and tell the muscles what to do. Robots are manmade machines intended to replicate human and animal behavior. Roboticists can combine these basic elements with other technological innovations to create some very complex robotic systems.
IEEE-USA contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.