How can robots fare themselves in the underwater territory?

While the industrial revolution powered by robots is transforming the world, now it is charting a course in the waters too. Thanks to rapid innovations in robotics, AI, low-cost sensors, satellite systems, big data, new avenues are opening up in the maritime industry. As a result, this sector is slowly becoming reliant on technology. Maritime robots are slowly making their presence felt and proving their efficiency while cutting costs and mitigating safety concerns. Today they promise an exciting range of applications and potentials.

The maritime robots can change the underwater domain the same way that satellites did for space exploration. Recently, Britain's first robot ship, the Mayflower Autonomous Ship, made headlines as the first unmanned transatlantic voyage powered by AI and the sun's power with solar technology. Plus, it is projected that an autonomous ship can allow 80% reductions in transportation costs.

According to the Global Marine Technology Report 2030, three new types of robots will be in use by 2030. The first will be a learning robot, the second, a practical robot that can handle an asset, and the third type will be a mini-robot, useful for inspections in harsh, dangerous environments. These robotics will leverage cognition, versatility, imitation, sense, and adaptability. For now, here are some of the interesting applications of robots in the maritime industry.

Water Rescue Robots

During rescue operations in water and underwater, it presents risky situation for the human lifesavers. Here, robots can be of significant help. E.g., The U.S. Office of Naval Research, the Navy's Small Business Innovation Research, and Hydronalix has developed a four-foot, 25-pound remote-controlled robot that acts as a hybrid flotation buoy-lifeboat. Named as Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard (EMILY), the robots aided more than 240 refugees, off the coast of Greece, in its first ten days of deployment alone during the European migrant crisis. EMILY can cruise along at speeds of up to 22 mph thanks to its 22-volt battery-powered engine. Additionally, the craft can carry up to five people and features a Kevlar-reinforced hull that helps it withstand massive waves and other types of impact.

Navy rescue training exercise

Recently Australia, announced collaboration between the Defense and defense industry in the Autonomous Warrior Genesis – the first of Navy's flagship events exercising robotics, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence (RAS-AI). The objective is to develop innovative new capabilities to respond to an evolving geostrategic environment via autonomous systems to respond to disaster scenarios.

Fight against COVID-19

The University of Virginia has modified a decontamination robot originally designed for shipboard firefighting and maintenance to disinfect surfaces without contact. This bot uses ultraviolet C-range (100 to 280 nm wavelength) UVC light to limit the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The robot has four wheels and a mechanical arm to maneuver the UV light source over the surfaces to be treated. Although currently, the robot relies on human operators, work is in progress to transform the design into an autonomous health assistant.

Underwater Cleaners Drones

Samsung has launched an underwater robot for cleaning the hulls of ships. The robot uses underwater sensors to maintain a certain depth and direction and can avoid obstacles. These robots include a filter that minimizes the environmental impact of the brushed organic matter. The purpose of this robot is to remove fouling on LNG carriers under construction. This will prevent the expensive re-docking normally required before delivering such ships, which take eight months to build. Another example is the Robotic Hull Bio-Mimetic Underwater Grooming system, or Hull BUG was created by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Underwater Mapping

MORPH (Marine Robotic System of Self-Organizing, Logically Linked Physical Nodes) robots use a robotic concept that promises to augment underwater mapping methods' efficiency and accuracy. This concept involves leveraging high accuracy 3D topology mapping and high definition video imaging and consists of a number of separate mobile robotic modules and sensors. They are connected virtually via wireless communication links and share data acquired with dedicated sensors.

Anti-Piracy Robot

ReconRobotics's Recon Scout Throwbot is a small, dumbbell-shaped robot that can infiltrate the main deck of a boat for stealth inspections. Its magnetic wheels allow it to crawl up the side of a ship onto the deck and maneuver around. Further, the robot can observe what's happening in real-time, even during the night, using its infrared sensors based cameras. The whole system is controlled via a joystick-based command unit.