Coupled-Control of Expeditionary Remote Operating Vehicles (ROVs) and Manipulator Payloads

The United States Navy (USN) Maritime Expeditionary Standoff Response (MESR) program necessitates an innovative solution to streamline the operation of Expeditionary Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) equipped with manipulators for subsea Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) tasks. The objective is to simplify the control system, enabling EOD technicians to manage the ROV and its manipulator tool through a unified human-machine interface rather than juggling between two distinct controllers. This integrated approach is crucial to enhance productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness in executing subsea intervention operations. In Phase I of the project, our team successfully developed and tested a prototype application for coupled control of ROVs and manipulators. This prototype, an innovative add-on module to the EOD Workspace – the command-and-control software currently employed in VideoRay Defender ROVs – demonstrated promising results. Phase II of the project aims to refine this prototype further to support a transition to fleet operations. The focus is on a rigorous development effort to build on and enhance the couple control applications capabilities, enabling a single EOD technician to control an ROV-manipulator system intuitively with enhanced precision and ease. Our strategy involves fully integrating our algorithms into the latest release version of EOD Workspace at each program milestone to solicit direct feedback from operators. The envisioned outcome of Phase II is a comprehensive, user-friendly control system that aligns with the MESR program’s mission. It will empower EOD technicians with a seamless operational experience, significantly reducing the cognitive load and operational complexity of handling ROVs and manipulators independently. GreenseaIQ is committed to delivering a solution that sets a new standard in maritime EOD operations.