Modular design and control method of underwater robot test-platform

For the request of the rapid assembling and applying of small underwater robot, the research of the modular design and control method is presented for the development of underwater robot test-platform named as ldquosea-shuttlerdquo. Based on the essential requirements of modular design technique, the research mainly includes the design of modular pressure hull, common electrical interface and a two-level seal method for the assembly or connection of hull module. To improve the adaptability of the robot for different applications, a special propulsion module is introduced for the streamline assembly configuration, and the relative motion controller and software system is presented based on the modular program composition method. The results of the motion control experiment in the pool show that the modular design method of ldquosea-shuttlerdquo is feasible and the two-channel feedback controller is effective.