Title :
Stability of an underwater work platform suspended from an unstable reference
Author :
Bostelman, Roger V. ; Albus, James S.
Author_Institution :
Nat. Inst. of Stand. & Technol., Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Abstract :
A work platform suspended by six cables and controlled by six winches located on a vessel, can precisely control the position, velocity, and force of tools, grippers, and machinery in all six degrees of freedom (x, y, z, roll, pitch, and yaw) while the vessel is moving due to sea surface conditions. Based on the Robocrane, the platform can be maneuvered via operator controls (e.g. a joystick) for doing work without disturbance of the sea bottom by controlling the cable tensions and buoyancy of the work platform. Large forces and torques can be exerted with the work platform while being controlled from a remote position. Many applications are possible: from underwater laying/repair to construction, in other than mild weather conditions
Keywords :
force control; marine systems; position control; stability; velocity control; buoyancy; cable tensions; force control; position control; sea surface condition; stability; underwater work platform; velocity control; Cranes; Force control; NIST; Prototypes; Robots; Stability; Testing; Underwater cables; Velocity control; Winches;
Conference_Titel :
OCEANS '93. Engineering in Harmony with Ocean. Proceedings
Conference_Location :
Victoria, BC
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1385-2
DOI :
10.1109/OCEANS.1993.326114