Abstract :
EAVE (Experimental Autonomous Vehicle) is a system for the development of technology for untethered, unmanned underwater vehicles. The central focus of this program is the use of a microprocessor system dedicated to mission performance and to the control of distributed processors. The slave processors interface with the vehicle environment, and activate appropriate responses. This paper describes the early development of EAVE as an autonomous pipeline follower. It then discusses the on-going effort to perform three-dimensional structural inspection missions. The objectives of system development, the integration of key technologies, the evaluation of the multiprocessor computer as well as the hardware and software configurations are reviewed.
Keywords :
autonomous underwater vehicles; microprocessor chips; UNH EAVE-East Vehicle; autonomous pipeline follower; distributed processors; experimental autonomous vehicle; unmanned underwater vehicles; Centralized control; Control systems; Distributed control; Inspection; Microprocessors; Mobile robots; Pipelines; Process control; Remotely operated vehicles; Underwater vehicles;
