In recent years, the field of underwater robotics has experienced significant growth, particularly in the area of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). These unmanned systems have a wide range of applications in both civilian and military contexts. For instance, AUVs can be used to monitor the environment, study marine life, and oversee offshore installations in the civil sector. In the military domain, they support Naval Units by assisting in activities such as mine countermeasure missions, discovering underwater targets, and protecting ports. In the context in which a maritime robotics research centre has the mandate to operate, above all in a challenging environment as the underwater is (often compared to space), it is crucial to have access to digital simulation tools. These tools can be used as testbed in various stages of an autonomous robot mission and during the development phase. In the initial planning phase, they can aid optimising mission preparation. During the mission, they can generate real-time simulations and report on the status of the robot, as well as the data gathered in the field, within a digital environment supporting also the augmented reality. After the mission is complete, a simulator can be utilized for post-analysis or staff training purposes. The purpose of this study is to showcase the benefits of utilizing a specially designed simulator for underwater robotics, with a focus on autonomous mission planning in the framework of monitoring the seafloor. This will be possible by exploiting the peculiarities of a simulator created for the field of underwater robotics. The study will analyze the results obtained from using this simulator to plan a specific underwater mission. The simulator being used is a "interoperable"type, which conforms to the IEEE 1516-2010 standard (STANAG 4603). The simulator is part of a national project called CHOBIN, which aims to provide the Italian Navy with a comprehensive tool for testing, evaluating, verifying, and analyzing complex scenarios involving systems and platforms in a realistic world model.
Exploring the Advantages of a Simulation-Based Mission Planning for Underwater Robotics
Cannarsa F.;Bazzarello L.;Caiti A.;Costanzi R.;
2023-01-01
Abstract
In recent years, the field of underwater robotics has experienced significant growth, particularly in the area of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). These unmanned systems have a wide range of applications in both civilian and military contexts. For instance, AUVs can be used to monitor the environment, study marine life, and oversee offshore installations in the civil sector. In the military domain, they support Naval Units by assisting in activities such as mine countermeasure missions, discovering underwater targets, and protecting ports. In the context in which a maritime robotics research centre has the mandate to operate, above all in a challenging environment as the underwater is (often compared to space), it is crucial to have access to digital simulation tools. These tools can be used as testbed in various stages of an autonomous robot mission and during the development phase. In the initial planning phase, they can aid optimising mission preparation. During the mission, they can generate real-time simulations and report on the status of the robot, as well as the data gathered in the field, within a digital environment supporting also the augmented reality. After the mission is complete, a simulator can be utilized for post-analysis or staff training purposes. The purpose of this study is to showcase the benefits of utilizing a specially designed simulator for underwater robotics, with a focus on autonomous mission planning in the framework of monitoring the seafloor. This will be possible by exploiting the peculiarities of a simulator created for the field of underwater robotics. The study will analyze the results obtained from using this simulator to plan a specific underwater mission. The simulator being used is a "interoperable"type, which conforms to the IEEE 1516-2010 standard (STANAG 4603). The simulator is part of a national project called CHOBIN, which aims to provide the Italian Navy with a comprehensive tool for testing, evaluating, verifying, and analyzing complex scenarios involving systems and platforms in a realistic world model.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
