Underwater Robotics Operation Technology

I. Introduction

The Underwater Robotics Operation Technology Team (formerly known as the Underwater Carrier Intelligent Control Technology Team) was established in 1999. It is led by Professor Zhang Mingjun and relies on the national defense characteristic discipline and the key first-level discipline "Mechanical Engineering" of Heilongjiang Province, as well as the national first-class undergraduate program "Mechanical Design, Manufacturing and Automation". The team is mainly engaged in research and teaching in underwater robotics operation technology and electromechanical system measurement and control technology. Over the past twenty years, the team has adhered to the guidance of major needs in national economy and national defense modernization. It has focused on supporting the construction of naval weapons and equipment and serving ocean development projects. The team has conducted research on fault diagnosis and fault tolerance control of underwater robots, safety decision-making and reliable launch, target localization and autonomous operation, surface recovery and underwater docking, and other related technologies, as well as specialized robotic systems for special operations. The team has undertaken more than 40 projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, defense-related departments, and research institutes within the industry. They have received more than 10 provincial and ministerial-level awards for their research achievements, published over 200 high-level papers, obtained more than 70 authorized invention patents, and published 4 monographs and 3 textbooks. Moreover, they have trained more than 130 master's students and over 20 doctoral students, providing strong support for the national strategy of becoming a marine power.

The team is an important part of Harbin Engineering University's "Underwater Robotics Technology" national key laboratory, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Key Laboratory for Special Auxiliary Ships and Underwater Equipment, and the Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory for Underwater Operation Technology and Equipment. Currently, the team has 6 full-time teachers, including 3 professors, 3 associate professors, as well as more than 40 postgraduate students.

II. Research Directions

1. Underwater Robot Related Technologies

(1) Underwater Robot Path Planning and Intelligent Control Technology

In terms of intelligent control technology for underwater robots, the team has conducted research on three-dimensional path planning methods, predictive control methods, trajectory tracking control methods, etc. for underwater robots. They have developed streamlined and frame-type underwater robot prototypes. For the area tracking control problem of autonomous underwater robots, they proposed an adaptive sliding mode controller and conducted simulations and pool experiments. The experimental results proved the effectiveness of the method.

(2) Underwater Robot Fault Diagnosis and Fault-Tolerant Control Technology

In the field of underwater robot fault diagnosis and fault-tolerant control technology, the team has conducted research on fault diagnosis techniques for underwater robot thrusters and sensors. They proposed methods for separating environmental disturbances from faults, weak fault diagnosis and trend prediction, and multiple fault fusion diagnosis. They also developed fault severity analysis and fault trend prediction methods. For thruster faults, they proposed active fault-tolerant control methods and adaptive fault-tolerant control methods. Simulation and pool experiments validated the effectiveness of the methods.

(3) Autonomous Underwater Robot Reliable Release and Safety Technology

To meet the needs of autonomous underwater robots for self-rescue, powerless diving and surfacing, payload deployment and delivery, the team designed and developed electromagnetic-driven release devices, purely mechanical ultra-deep release devices, and purely mechanical timing release devices. These devices were installed on more than ten types of underwater robots, such as the "Zhishui" series AUV and the "Wukong" deep-sea AUV, and underwent over 150 sea trials. The success rate of release was 100%, effectively ensuring the operational safety of underwater robots.

(4) Underwater Target Identification, Localization, and Autonomous Operation Technology

For autonomous underwater robot (AUV) underwater operation, the team developed small electric mechanical arms and large expandable hydraulic mechanical arms suitable for AUV shape-conforming installation. These arms have automatic detachment functions in dangerous situations. The team proposed hand-boat coordination control methods and AUV attitude active adjustment methods, designed underwater image enhancement algorithms, achieved recognition and localization of specific underwater targets, and completed autonomous operation pool tests for AUV prototypes.

(5) Underwater Robot Underwater Docking Technology

In the field of underwater robot underwater docking technology, the team designed docking devices for underwater robots of different types and sizes to meet the needs of autonomous underwater robot underwater recovery, charging, and information exchange. They developed functional modules for underwater robot buffering, capturing, locking, azimuth adjustment, attitude adjustment, hydraulic power and control, environmental perception, and state monitoring. Sea trials have been conducted to validate the technology.

2. Specialized Operation Robot Technology

To meet the operational needs in extreme and harsh environments, such as underwater and land-based situations, our team possesses the capability to design various types of specialized robots and develop their software and hardware. We have developed a core control module applicable to different types of robotic operations, as well as modules for environment and status perception and processing and electric/hydraulic driving. Our specialized operation robots include modular underwater robots, biomimetic sea turtle underwater robots, amphibious robots, post-mine-disaster search and rescue robots, pipeline inspection and cleaning robots, and autonomous mobile robots.

3. Mechatronic System Measurement and Control Technology

Our team conducts research in high-precision control of mechatronic systems and measurement of parameter performance in robot systems. We have developed remote telemetry and remote control systems for surface vessels, performance evaluation systems for land-based robots, motor torque and speed measurement systems, underground multiparameter measurement instruments, center of gravity and weight measurement for irregular structures, vision-based pose measurement systems for large structures, and coordinated control systems for multi-group parallel six-degree-of-freedom platforms.

III. Team Culture

For more than 20 years since its establishment, the team has been committed to high-level technological innovation and high-level talent cultivation. The integration of scientific research and teaching has formed a team culture of "unity, pragmatism, innovation, and dedication". The team has always adhered to the fundamental task of cultivating morality and talent, strengthened guidance of students' ideological style, improved scientific and technological innovation capabilities, promoted international exchange and cooperation, provided students with a good learning and working environment. The teachers and students are united, striving for high-quality development, down-to-earth, focusing on practical results, researching diligently, daring to break through, pursuing progress, serving national needs and industry requirements, and realizing their own value.

Team Culture