CSIRO Robotic Submarine "Starbug" set to transform environmental monitoring

Developed by the CSIRO ICT Centre at its Queensland laboratory, this Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) is a low cost, miniature submarine for underwater research on ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef.

Existing research submarines are power hungry and expensive to build and operate, and need to be tethered to a vessel so they are not lost. Human divers can only spend limited time under water and often work from research vessels which are expensive to operate.

At around 25kg and some 1.2m long Starbug is small enough to be operated by one person from the shore, floating platform or small boat, without cranes or other specialised equipment. And it is nor tethered… it goes out alone…

Dr Matthew Dunbabin, leader of the Starbug team, looks forward to “platforms like Starbug to be deployed in large numbers to greatly improve data collection rates so that reef research can leap ahead."

Monitoring large areas necessitates large scale data collection, which is a challenge for Great Barrier Reef researchers.

Starbug is one of the first AUVs in the world designed specifically with vision as the primary sensor for navigation and control. So it does not need to be tethered and does not need an operator. Remote communication with Starbug occurs on the surface (eg GPS coordinates etc), and once the machine dives, it follows the mission control data that has been loaded onto the onboard computer. So it is “on its own” while it is under water. And so far, it has reliably popped back up on the surface as required.

Says Dunbabin, “The software has been developed over time to perform a variety of missions that are typical of those conducted by marine scientists. Many experiments have been conducted to verify and update software to ensure reliability. With no "life-line" to the surface, we want to make sure the vehicle returns home.”

“We have tried to make the operator interface as simple as possible. Using a set number of mission types, such as go from here to their at this depth then surface, the vehicle's on-board vision-based navigation system plans its own path and negotiates terrain and obstacles.”

"We chose vision for the navigation system due to its relatively low cost and its suitability for use in clear water, terrain-rich, reef environments. Furthermore, as marine researchers often need to acquire images, the same sensor can be used for navigation and image collection," said Dr Dunbabin.

Two cameras provide forward stereo images, with two more providing downward stereo images. These estimate distance to objects for odometry and obstacle avoidance, so the machine recognises obstacles in its path. The downward cameras are used to continually assess height above the sea floor. All processing is done on-board the vehicle.

The cameras also provide the visual record of the sea floor that is important to researchers, in a series of stereo still photographs.

"We are currently developing systems to allow Starbug to identify marine pests such as crown-of-thorns starfish based on their shape and texture. This will make it possible to accurately monitor population changes and design strategies for managing them."

Depending upon what kind of battery power is employed, missions can last from 3 to 8 hours.

The Starbug is a “bit of a side project” says Dunbabin, explaining that the team’s principal work was in mining industry robotics, but this project came up and Starbug is the result.

It is a result that won an Australian Engineering Excellence Award at the Australian Institute of Engineers Engineering Excellence Awards in late 2006.

Environmental monitoring may be its origins, but other applications such as offshore industry, pipeline survey, cable survey, detailed bathymetrics and port security are also being considered.

In its current form, the Starbug is designed for use at depths to 100m. Limitations include the available on-board energy storage and visability conditions. However, it can perform a number of purposeful missions in low-visibility conditions such as mid-water transects.

The currently single Starbug is being joined by two more in February 2007 for internal CSIRO use, however, some interest has been expressed by external parties regarding commercialisation, and negotiations are taking place.

Further information:
http://www.csiro.au/csiro/content/standard/ps2j5.html

Dr Chris Nicol presents the 2007 Innovation Lecture in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, 5–7 June.
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Disclaimer: The Warren Centre publishes articles relating to new technology and innovation that are often based on information supplied by third parties. While an editorial process is applied, we make no exhaustive investigation into the accuracy of the information, thus no liability will be accepted for its accuracy. Please note that in providing this information, The Warren Centre is not supporting or promoting any technology or company, merely seeking to inform. Interested readers should take their own steps to verify the information prior to relying on it in any way.

View of the front of the Starbug showing twin cameras of the forward vision system

Starbug in action

Images Courtesy CSIRO

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CSIRO Robotic Submarine "Starbug" set to transform environmental monitoring
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