A low-cost pipeline for semi-real time underwater site study

This work presents an innovative and low-cost pipeline conceived for the complete study of underwater sites. The pipeline is inserted in a more complex control scheme, developed with the final aim of obtaining very accurate documentations. Underwater data can be gathered by both divers and robots, and elaborated using a dedicated cloud computing system, which gives to researchers a 3D reconstruction of the explored area and a 3D print of the model in semi-real time. Higher quality 3D models and the relative print can also be obtained in post-processing; the relative outputs are available in the most common formats and in a virtual reality environment. The definition of a structured methodology with the terms of control theory will allow the characterization of analytical indexes useful to evaluate the quality of the investigation.