Dealing in real time with a priori unknown environment on autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)

For underwater vehicles to be self-sufficient in an a priori unknown environment, feedback from the environment through altitude sensors is essential. This paper presents how this feedback can be efficiently achieved for AUVs in which different simultaneous tasks have to concur to the achievement of a mission. The approach is based on the task-function approach, with a continuous switching between the involved tasks. The presented application concerns the use of acoustic range/altitude sensors in the control of a fully-actuated AUV