• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

In this paper, we introduce the methodology that utilizes deep learning-based front-end to enhance underwater feature matching. Both optical camera and sonar are widely applicable sensors in underwater research, however, each sensor has its own weaknesses, such as light condition and turbidity for the optic camera, and noise for sonar. To overcome the problems, we proposed the opti-acoustic transformation method. Since feature detection in sonar image is challenging, we converted the sonar image to an optic style image. Maintaining the main contents in the sonar image, CNN-based style transfer method changed the style of the image that facilitates feature detection. Finally, we verified our result using cosine similarity comparison and feature matching against the original optic image.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.344-354
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• 2009

Side scan sonar using acoustic wave plays a very important role in the underwater, sea floor, and shallow marine geologic survey. In this study, we have acquired side scan sonar data for the underwater man-made structures, artificial reefs and fishing grounds, installed and distributed in the survey area. We applied digital image processing techniques to side scan sonar data in order to improve and enhance an image quality. We carried out digital image processing with various kinds of filtering in spatial domain and frequency domain. We tested filtering parameters such as kernel size, differential operator, and statistical value. We could easily estimate the conditions, distribution and environment of artificial structures through the interpretation of side scan sonar.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.214-220
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• 2016

Imaging sonars such as side-scanning sonar or forward-looking sonar are becoming fundamental sensors in the underwater robotics field. However, using sonar images for underwater perception presents many challenges. Sonar images are usually low resolution with inherent speckled noise. To overcome the limited sensor information for underwater perception, we investigated preprocessing methods for sonar images and feature detection methods for a nonlinear scale space. In this paper, we focus on a comparative analysis of (1) preprocessing for sonar images and (2) the feature detection performance in relation to the scale space composition.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Marine Engineers Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.152-153
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• 2005

Side scan sonar System occupies an important position as one of marine survey equipments. The purpose of this research is to express sonar' scan images in underwater and compare with the measured size, shape and the quality of the material. Also we confirm the effectiveness of obtained images using the Side scan sonar.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2016.10a
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• pp.961-964
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• 2016

This paper describes the implementation of AUSV system for Sonar Image acquisition. The system be controlled by FF-PID algorithm for the thrusters using motion sensor and DGPS. As experimental results, the control performance is that the error distance from the destination positions are under 5m in total survey track of 1km, and the image deviation is under 12 pixel from the manned survey method, which the comparison with the total image quality is almost the same as the manned survey one. Thus the AUSV system is a new method of system can be utilized on the limited survey area as the surveyor should not be able to approach on sea surface.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2016.10a
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• pp.965-968
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• 2016

This paper describes a new speckle noise reduction methode on the sonar image using TVG Filtering and PDF wavelet transform. The speckle noise makes the degrading image to discriminate the various object on the ocean bed. The TVG filter removes the speckle noise by gain with observing the results timely and inductively. The experimental result is that speckle noise is reduced to 90 %. Thus the proposed technique leads the mage recognition to be enhanced in the submarine environment.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.435-449
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• 2020

This paper proposes a method to estimate the underwater target object's yaw angle using a sonar image. A simulator modeling imaging mechanism of a sonar sensor and a generative adversarial network for style transfer generates realistic template images of the target object by predicting shapes according to the viewing angles. Then, the target object's yaw angle can be estimated by comparing the template images and a shape taken in real sonar images. We verified the proposed method by conducting water tank experiments. The proposed method was also applied to AUV in field experiments. The proposed method, which provides bearing information between underwater objects and the sonar sensor, can be applied to algorithms such as underwater localization or multi-view-based underwater object recognition.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.467-476
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• 2003

For the seafloor acoustic image mapping of side scan sonar, the beginning step of the procedure is to fix the absolute sonar (tow-fish) position since the sonar is not hull mounted but towed astern. The technical algorithm used to calculate the actual sonar position without any other additional sub-system, i.e., the underwater acoustic position tracking system or the sonar attitude measuring device, was proposed. In the seafloor image mosaic mapping results using the sonar track (not ship track) developed in this study, any ambiguity or inconsistency of seafloor features was not found. The incidental effect from the sonar position determination procedure orients the towing direction of sonar to be smooth, consequently the swath pattern on the across-track direction becomes stable and the blanking phenomenon of the insonification area is reduced conspicuously. This technical method is considered to be an useful tool when applied toother underwater towing vehicle surveys.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.212-218
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• 2002

The response behavior of a fish school to an approaching vessel was observed using scanning sonar. The evaluation using six parameters, which signify characteristics of school shape and behavior by sonar image processing, was proposed. Ten fish schools were analyzed and among them, three fish schools were identified for their changing shape, swimming direction, and swimming speed. Moreover, by tracing fish schools on stack of sonar images, these fish schools were seen to exhibit an apparent change of school shape and behavior. Therefore, the evaluation method of fish school behavior using six characteristic parameters indicating fish school shape and behavior by sonar image processing is useful.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.94-102
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• 2021

This study addresses a method for 3D reconstruction using acoustic data with heterogeneous sonar devices: Forward-Looking Multibeam Sonar (FLMS) and Profiling Sonar (PS). The challenges in sonar image processing are perceptual ambiguity, the loss of elevation information, and low signal to noise ratio, which are caused by the ranging and intensity-based image generation mechanism of sonars. The conventional approaches utilize additional constraints such as Lambertian reflection and redundant data at various positions, but they are vulnerable to environmental conditions. Our approach is to use two sonars that have a complementary data type. Typically, the sonars provide reliable information in the horizontal but, the loss of elevation information degrades the quality of data in the vertical. To overcome the characteristic of sonar devices, we adopt the crossed installation in such a way that the PS is laid down on its side and mounted on the top of FLMS. From the installation, FLMS scans horizontal information and PS obtains a vertical profile of the front area of AUV. For the fusion of the two sonar data, we propose the probabilistic approach. A likelihood map using geometric constraints between two sonar devices is built and a monte-carlo experiment using a derived model is conducted to extract 3D points. To verify the proposed method, we conducted a simulation and field test. As a result, a consistent seabed map was obtained. This method can be utilized for 3D seabed mapping with an AUV.