When VR meets Underwater Robots: Creating an Underwater Hull Cleaning Simulator

Abstract

Shipping is one of the most important transportation methods used in global trade. Underwater hull cleaning increases the efficiency and decreases fuel consumption by 9.6% due to the removal of marine foul which reduces friction and improves vessel hydrodynamics. With the advancement of technologies, underwater cleaning robots are used to reduce the need of the human diver to clean the hull. While the use of cleaning Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) may have its merits, there is a difficulty in training people that can skilfully control the cleaning ROV. This work attempts to develop a novel simulation technology combining VR and underwater robotics for the training of hull cleaning operators. Specifically, the work investigates the integration of Unity and the Robot Operating System (ROS). A proof-of-concept VR simulator is implemented to control an underwater ROV, model the underwater environment and the ship hull with the aid of important sensors such as a SONAR and Inertial Measurement Units.