Students from Severodvinsk tested underwater robots for the first time in the Arctic seas. Previously, such developments were launched only in swimming pools and small freshwater reservoirs. During the voyage of the Arctic Floating University, Daniil Shushkov and Alexander Shkriabin made sure that their Lemming and Polar Explorer can work even in very cold and salty water
The first tests
The Polar Explorer snorts and does not want to dive smoothly in any way, the upper part of the device stubbornly outweighs, and the robot dives like a duck. Alexander Shkriabin, a master’s student at the Institute of Shipbuilding and Marine Arctic Technology (Sevmashvtuz) branch of the Northern Arctic Federal University (SAFU), once again carefully takes it out of the water. On the shore, he and Daniil Shushkov, a graduate of the same university, weigh loads and finally achieve balance.
These are the first tests of an underwater robot from the shore, young engineers are launching it in a bay on the polar island of Vaigach. Daniil says that the Polar Explorer did not have time to be ballasted before the flight, that is, to adjust the buoyancy. However, the problem was solved quickly, and the robot rushed to explore the bottom of Varneka Bay.
Polar Explorer is a remote—controlled underwater robot. It has a body made of aluminum pipes and profiles, eight propellers, a high-resolution digital video camera, a manipulator and a lighting system. The Polar Explorer needs a shore station to transmit power and control commands.
The researchers brought the equipment ashore in a large box, which was lowered into the boat with great care, and Daniel carried the device himself, clutching it to his chest like a child.
The Polar Explorer is launched on a long bright yellow wire, which is quickly unwound. The sun is too bright, and on the laptop screen, where the robot transmits the image, the reflected red jackets of the expedition participants are better visible than the picture from the device. In the next bay, Daniel will cover himself with a raincoat tent with his head and laptop, and everything will immediately become visible.
On the shore of Vaigach, the guys were upset at first that the chosen beach was not very suitable for testing. They hoped, if not for the dump of the depths, then at least for some place deeper. However, the Polar Explorer showed itself perfectly in shallow water.
— However, it turned out that we mostly watched the houses of some water worms, – Daniel laughs.
For the tests, the students took two devices. The second, the Lemming, is smaller than the Polar Explorer, made of durable plastic, equipped with six thrusters located in different planes, and a camera is mounted on it.
— Why “Lemming”? I wanted something simple and memorable. And this funny myth about lemmings jumping into the water. We have an underwater vehicle,” Shushkov explained. — We needed an animal that is connected with water. Lemming is related to water. Therefore, we decided that it fits perfectly.
The Lemming is not only smaller, but also lighter than the Polar Explorer, it is easier to lower it from the side, which the researchers did at the first stop of Professor Molchanov at Kolguev Island. First, the buoyancy of the Lemming was leveled in salt water in a tub on deck, because the robot was configured for fresh water, where it was tested earlier. Then, from the stern, it was launched into the sea on a cable 30 m long, through which power was supplied.
The robot worked in the water for about an hour and a half. Kolguev had a strong current around the ship, it carried the robot away from the ship, which is why it was not possible to inspect its hull. The guys were very worried, but they were satisfied: the robot calmly withstood the cold salt water, was able to sink to the bottom and take pictures.
Underwater Robot competitions
Shkriabin and Shushkov say that their developments can be used to inspect the underwater part of the hull of ships, explore the bottom and collect samples. Another participant of the floating university, Alexander Gordeychik, has already joked that the Lemming would be very useful on the Mikhail Somov, which was stranded for two weeks in the waters of Franz Josef Land. The condition of the vessel’s hull was examined by divers.
Tests of small remote-controlled uninhabited underwater vehicles made by students are usually limited to shallow pools and fresh water. The guys have repeatedly taken part in All-Russian competitions. Daniil admitted that he entered the Severodvinsk branch of SAFU because one day he saw the news about how students made an underwater vehicle and participated in competitions with it.
— This is one of the factors why I came here, — Daniel recalls. — In the second year, the teachers invited me to join a club, a circle, a group of enthusiasts that deals with underwater vehicles, and somehow everything went like that, it turns out, and I got along well with people. And here I am. Now the unofficial captain of our team.
— And why unofficial?
— At competitions — yes, captain, and in the working process everything is as democratic as possible.
Alexander took up robotics in his first year, on board the Molchanov, in addition to testing robots, he also managed to diagnose the ship’s electric drive.
— While everyone was upstairs in the fresh air, I was in the dark, — Alexander laughs.
“Lemming” and “Polar Explorer” have already won prizes at All—Russian competitions: “Lemming” took first place, “Polar Explorer” – third. Engineers from Severodvinsk are proud of their achievements. The Far Eastern Federal University is the undisputed leader in the development of underwater guided vehicles. Strong teams at St. Petersburg State Maritime Technical University (Korabelke) and Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Students in Astrakhan and Sevastopol are engaged in underwater robots.
— Thanks to us, they know about Severodvinsk, that someone is engaged in similar devices there and even bypass the capital’s universities at competitions, – Alexander and Daniil noted.
The guys say that it’s not even the competitions themselves that are important, but the exchange of ideas. For example, at one of the competitions, the team brought a device that could jump out of the water. Next year, several more participants tried to make similar projects.
Daniil and Alexander admit that at some point, as part of the competitions in the pools, they got bored, and the Severodvinsk residents decided that it was necessary to dive in real reservoirs. First they tried to launch a robot in the Volga in Astrakhan, then they found a lake with clear water near Severodvinsk. The next step or dive into the cold seas became quite logical.
How to improve the robot
Shushkov and Shkriabin were generally satisfied with the tests: the robots perfectly withstood bathing in sea water, although, of course, they had to be washed from salt in the shower after each launch. The goal was to dive 30 meters, which was perfectly possible at the island of Salm of Franz Josef Land. It was possible to go deeper, but the cable limited it.
On sunny days, the picture from the devices was well visible to a depth of eight meters, then lighting was required, young engineers plan to work on it. As it turned out, it is better to use several light sources so that the lighting is diffused and uniform. But the main problem was bulky equipment.
— We looked with great envy at the pilots of quadrocopters who just take their phone, put it in a tiny remote control, and everything works for them. First of all, we will strive to reduce all our equipment. There was an interesting idea to make some kind of backpack, a backpack mount, so that you could carry both the robot and all the necessary equipment on your back, – Daniel lists the ideas. — There were glare on the laptop screen, and we also have thoughts about this: we want to add support for glasses, like virtual reality glasses, so that the image is closed from external light and only the pilot can see it.
By the way, piloting a robot is not so easy. The guys gave other participants of the expedition a try to steer, they managed to manage, but it was already a difficult task to carry out some actions with a manipulator. Moreover, the marine inhabitants with whom the robots tried to “communicate” were brisk and nimble.
— We liked the Cape of Desire the most. There the bottom is the most diverse and beautiful, such a small underwater forest that sways very beautifully under the influence of waves. And most of all we met animals when we threw the device from the side of the ship and sank to the bottom. It was almost always perfectly flat, sandy, and there were a lot of crabs and anemones on it. From an engineer’s point of view, these are funny incomprehensible things that hide when you touch them.
— Did you manage to hook someone? I ask.
– no. When you try to grab them, they immediately go into a hole — they shrink and hide their tentacles. We scared away all the sea anemones in the area,” Daniel laughs.
Even young engineers want to improve the stabilization system of their robots. Work at sea has shown that automation is needed, which would help maintain depth, course, and prevent the device from leaning to the sides. There was also an idea to create a robot that could both swim and ride on the bottom.
After the flight of APU, Daniil Shushkov became one of the winners of the student startup competition of the Innovation Promotion Foundation. His project is called “Universal hardware and software platform for uninhabited underwater vehicles”. Daniil won a million rubles, will develop three hardware modules that will simplify the process of assembling and upgrading uninhabited underwater vehicles. This will help you focus on the creative side of designing without being distracted by technical details.
And the guys also want to create an underwater robotics center in Severodvinsk. So far there is only one in the country — in Vladivostok.
A source: https://e-cis.info/news/569/111749/
