Development of Human-in-the-loop Based Robot Environment Awareness And Control Framework for Underwater Robot Operation

Abstract

Operating an ROV requires advanced operational skills, especially given the often challenging underwater conditions, such as low visibility due to high turbidity. The ROV’s thrusters often disturb suspended sediments, further complicating perception.We have proposed a cognitive and control framework, called the Human-in-the-Loop System (HILS), to effectively synchronize the robot’s operating environment and status with the operator. The proposed system creates a feedback loop between the robot underwater and the CPOS cockpit on the surface to synchronize their motions. This HILS environment is specifically tailored for underwater operations and is designed for a remotely operated underwater robot, called an underwater working rover. To evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed HILS environment in representing the robot’s behavior to the user, we conducted a preliminary experiment. Real-time dynamics based on operator input were accurately reflected in the motion of the CPOS robot platform. Sensors attached to the platform accurately measured the robot’s motion, allowing the robot’s motion to be effectively cued to the operator with low latency.