Complexity of ROV Control Stations

          The biggest challenge when putting together a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV)  control station is the variability in the market. In my research I could not find a single offering that could be plug and play, and instead every control station is a custom build  accommodating the different sensors and manipulators mounted on the robot. The cameras, sonar, lasers, and other sensors can be patch through using different equipment independently from the ROV controller. The nature of ROV, theater through physical wires to the control station, mean all sensors, motors, and manipulators are connected to their own hardware and software solution allowing operators to customize their station according to the specific components on the ROV.

FMC Schilling Robotics, ROV Control Station. joysticks connected to a computer, and arm manipulator on the center under monitors. Monitors showing different sensor data, and camera feed.

          ROV are unique tools specific to their mission resulting in an amalgamation of cameras, sensors, and manipulators controlled by a custom control station. The Tiburon Subsea package (http://www.tiburonsubsea.com/SonarWiz.html), is a computer package to plan a mission, monitor progress, pull data from sensors, and post process the data. The software uses GPS to create waypoints, depth meter, and IMUs with compass to track the true position of the ROV to compensate for drift and to correct the data from the sensors. The SonarPro, and SonarWiz package in the Tiburon Subsea software offers the ability to monitor real time sonar data, while creating and aggregate of images to create a mosaic with geo-location tags. Unfortunately there is no video link, and a camera mounted on the ROV needs a different solution to provide live feedback.

          The offering from Digital Edge Subsea (http://www.digitaledgesubsea.com/en/) the EdgeDVR can connect to the cameras providing a live feed while recording at High Definition (HD), and Standard Definition (SD) simultaneously. The advantage of the EdgeDVR is a simple connection to the cameras on the ROV without need for an additional encoder meaning it can be connected to a desktop pc to show the live video feed in a window. This is important as ROV are customize piece of equipment and simple solutions that are easy to integrate into a desktop control station are valuable.

          To move the ROV a joystick is common part of the control station, and the manufacturer will provide a proprietary software to install in a computer connected to the ROV which will transform the input on the joysticks into motor voltages to move the robot. A truly custom solution will require to wire the joystick to the motors electronic controllers (Thone, 2009). This hard wired option will require to connect the different motors to the controller to create an H bridge to manually operate the motors (Thone, 2009). It is better to buy an integrated solution like the VMAX which comes as single hardware interface to plug and operate the ROV. The electronic joystick communicates with the software in the computer which in turn operates the motors to create the desired movements. VMAX also offer a simulator package for training, and testing purposes.

VMAX joystick to be added to the control station to move the ROV.

          At last the different manipulators can be individually purchase and installed on the ROV. Each manipulator comes with its own controller as there are different grabbers, articulations, and abilities. The Atlas Hybrid Manipulators  has a maximum lift of 1000lb and 550lb at full reach, a maximum reach of 65.5in, jaw grip for of 1000lb, and it can operate at depth up to 3000 psi (Oceaneering data sheet). The manipulator is individually operated from the ROV movement software, as it uses its own wire connection through the tether to the ROV.

 

Left: Oceaneering Manipulator, Right: Schilling installation instructions.

          ROV are custom tools that serve unique functions depending on their mission, and their tether offers a benefits to incorporate different sensors like cameras, and sonar mounted on the ROV, hardwired to a computer, or to their designated monitoring system on the control station. While some options can integrate the ROV movements on a software, the true control station is composed of modular monitoring system connected through a desktop computer, and while the camera feed is not connected to a depth gage or sensors on the arm manipulator it is up to the operator to take all data into account an integrate sensor data to make decisions.

References

Dockter, D. (2015, September 9). Human in the loop or computer in the loop:           Augmented intelligence and performance. Control Interfaces. Retrieved from           http://www.control-interfaces.com/news

ROV Planet Magazine Issue 13. (2017, October 30). Retrieved from                     https://issuu.com/rovplanet/docs/rovplanet_magazine_013__web_

Thone, S. (2009). Controller wiring for the "H" bridge relays. Retrieved from           http://www.homebuiltrovs.com/howtojoystickhbridge.html

Tiburon Subsea software package description. www.tiburonsubsea.com/SonarWiz.html

VMAX. (2016, June 24). VMAX Control Console. [Video file]. Retrieved from           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK34ktwg3gY