Automatic workspace analysis and vehicle adaptation for hydraulic underwater manipulators

In this paper we describe a methodology to represent the workingspace properties of an underwater manipulator with respect to tele-operation tasks. This representation takes the typical operation procedure for intervention tasks into account. The information gained from the representation can be used to automatically analyse the actual state of a manipulator with respect to the remaining dexterity of the manipulator. The workingspace representation is formally introduced and exemplary used on an ORION 7P from Schilling Robotics. The second half of the paper deals with an algorithm that is able to calculate online the distance between the actual position and the border to regions with less dexterity. The information gained by this algorithm is then used as a signal to an operator or as the basis for motion commands to the ROV carrying the manipulator.