This project aims at improving the applicability and performance of
multifunctional Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) for the inspection,
monitoring and survey of underwater environments and manmade
installations. In particular, the project aims at solving or improving
the following activities:
- surveying and monitoring of underwater structures, such as oil rigs,
pipes, ship wrecks, and other submersed structure in general;
- inspection of underwater installations, such as dams, dikes, docks,
tanks, canals and tunnels (e.g., in hydro- and thermo-electric power
plants), in order to detect causes of danger or damage;
- surveillance for detection of oil and gas leakage from pipes,
submersed tanks and wrecks;
- control of unmanned industrial operations (e.g., pipe spool metrology).
At the state of the art, these problems are either solved through
intervention of divers, which are consequently exposed to high risks; or
addressed with insufficient reliability, because of the poor accuracy
and quality of feedback provided by sensors on board an ROV.
The goal of the project will be achieved by developing a novel
integrated sensorial system, which will exploit both optical and
acoustical data to provide the ROV pilot with an augmented
representation of the scene (augmented reality). The system will be also
able to automatically synthesise a 3D model of the scene from sensorial
data (model acquisition). Moreover, a unified man machine interface will
be provided to control an ROV as well as the sensors mounted on board.
