Underwater Robots Identify Potential Threats In Murky Waters

Boca Raton FL (SPX) Jul 03, 2009

"Novel underwater laser networking and imaging technologies being developed by scientists at the Ocean Visibility and Optics Laboratory at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University may provide significant advantages over existing technologies in rapidly identifying and communicating potential threats in murky coastal waters.

Harbor Branch has received $2 million from the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research, to continue its cutting-edge research and development in the area of underwater laser sensing and robotics in an effort to develop next generation underwater sensing networks to enhance the security of coastal waters and ports, and to expand ecosystem monitoring capabilities.

This project will build on current technologies and capabilities in laser imaging developed at Harbor Branch. When the technology is fully developed, it will be used onboard a group of small, co-operating underwater robots and will have extensive utility for future U.S. military operations including U.S. war fighters (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and mine countermeasures operations).



Domestically, it will be used for Maritime security and environmental assessment to address some of the most critical areas in need of ocean research and technology development over the next ten years.

The project is being developed in three phases, with the overall goal of investigating concepts in concurrent laser imaging and communications where dual-purpose imaging and communications system components are distributed within the co-operating group of underwater robots. Scientists at Harbor Branch will use advanced computer simulation software to predict the underwater laser light field in variable environmental conditions.

Combined with measurements from their state-of-the-art underwater laser test facility which will be used as a proving ground for the techniques, the objective is to gain a thorough understanding of how such techniques can contribute to underwater imaging missions of the future.

According to Dr. Fraser Dalgleish, principal investigator and assistant research professor at Harbor Branch, images of suspicious underwater objects need to be rapidly transmitted to a command center or to those who may be in danger.

"Underwater mines pose a major threat to U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and merchant fleets," said Dalgleish.

"Using intelligent, adaptive laser imaging and communication techniques with swarms of co-operating underwater robots could provide identification-quality underwater imagery in real-time across much greater regions of seabed than current technology allows, and will therefore be vital for effectively classifying both military and environmental threats to our coastal regions in the future."

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Underwater_Robots_Identify_Potential_Threats_In_Murky_Waters_999.html

---

"We should not forget that the spark which ignited the American Revolution was caused by the British attempt to confiscate the firearms of the colonists."
- Patrick Henry -

Ron Paul Library <-=+=+=+=-> Ron Paul Archives

"Gun control has cleared the way for seven major genocides since 1915, in which governments gone bad murdered 56,000,000 persons, including millions of children."
- Aaron Zelman of Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership -

"That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power."
- Virginia Bill of Rights -