Underwater 3D Mapping and Pose Estimation for ROV Operations
Teleoperating Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV)
underwater is a challenging and tedious task as the operators are
physically removed from the sites and their situational awareness
is low due to restricted camera views, poor visibility under water,
and limited three dimensional perception. This paper describes
three vision system technologies, developed originally for space
applications, which will enable more efficient ROV operations.
Automatic detection and tracking of artificial and natural targets
will enable autonomous ROV station-keeping (mooring) allowing
the operators to focus on their main tasks. The 3D modeling
system will create instantly models of underwater worksites and
seafloor increasing thus operators’ spatial perception and
allowing measurements and precise manipulation tasks. Initial
results of underwater experiments are presented.