Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T19:09:06.603Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Experimental and theoretical evaluation of the buoyancy and gravity driven underwater robots

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2009

L. Gumusel
Affiliation:
Karadeniz Teknik Universitesi, Makina Muhendisligi Bolumu, Trabzon (Turkey).
A. Baz
Affiliation:
Mechanical Engineering Department, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. 20064 (USA).

Summary

The dynamic model of a new class of underwater robot is derived and the validity of the model is checked experimentally. Close agreements between theory and experiment are attained. The interaction between the buoyancy and gravity forces acting on the robot arm, present in the underwater environment, is used to generate torques necessary to move the arm. The mathematical model of a multi-arm robot is developed to define the interaction between the dynamics of the moving weight and the robot links under the action of the resisting water drag and other external forces. The Lagrangian method is used in the formulation of the arm dynamics. The developed dynamic equations serve as means for designing the control laws necessary for controlling the position of the different joints of the robots. The study indicates that the buoyancy and gravity-driven robot can position a payload accurately as well as at a fairly fast speed of response. It is indicated from the theoretical and experimental study that the arm motion is created by a small displacement of moving weight on the power screw. Therefore, power requirement of this type of robot is just as enough to overcome the friction between the power screw and the moving weight. This features emphasize the potential of the concept as a viable means for driving underwater robots

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Brahtz, J.F., Ocean Engineering (John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y., 1984).Google Scholar
2.Yastrebov, V.S. and Sagalevich, A.M., “Development and Application of ROVs at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology Academy of Sciences, USSR.ROV'84, The Marine Technology Society (1984) pp. 332334.Google Scholar
3.Kroczynski, P., Moreau, J.P. and Acton, J.B., “The Marine Robot” Robots 8, Conference Proceedings(1984) vol. 1, pp. 4955.Google Scholar
4.Baz, A. and Gumusel, L., “Buoyancy and Gravity–Powered Underwater RobotIntl. J. of Robotic Research 9, No. 5, 6069 (10, 1990).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Gumusel, L., “Buoyancy Gravity–Powered Underwater Robot” Master Thesis, (Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., USA, 09 1987).Google Scholar
6.Asada, H. and Slotine, J.J., Robot Analysis and Control (John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y., 1986).Google Scholar
7.Shigley, J.E., Mitchell, L.D., Mechanical Engineering Design (McGraw–Hill Company, New York, N.Y., 1983).Google Scholar
8.Wolovich, W.A., Robotics Basic Analysis and Design (CBS College Publishing, New York, N.Y., 1987).Google Scholar
9.Koivo, A.J., Fundamentals for Control of Robotic Manipulators (John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y., 1989).Google Scholar
10.Al–Khafaji, A.W. and Tooley, J.R., Numerical Methods in Engineering Practice (CBS College Publishing, New York, N.Y., 1986).Google Scholar
11.Gumusel, L., “A New Class of Underwater Robots” Ph.D. Thesis (Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., USA, 04 1990).Google Scholar