• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.352-360
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• 2019

This paper proposes a docking assessment algorithm for an autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) with sensor uncertainties. The proposed algorithm consists of two assessments, state assessment and probability assessment. The state assessment verifies the reachability by comparing forward distance to the docking station with expected distance to reach same depth as the docking station and necessity for correcting its route by comparing calculated inaccessible areas based on turning radius of the AUV to position of the docking station. When the AUV and the docking station is close enough and the state assessment is satisfied, the probability assessment is conducted by computing success probability of docking based on the direction angle, relative position to the docking station, and sensor uncertainties of the AUV. The final output of the algorithm is decided by comparing the success probability to threshold whether to try docking or to correct its route. To verify the validation of the suggested algorithm, the scenario that the AUV approaches to the docking station is implemented through Matlab simulation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.316-320
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• 2003

This paper introduces an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) model, ASUM, equipped with a visual servo control system to dock into an underwater station with a camera and motion sensors. To make a visual servoing AUV, this paper implemented the visual servo control system designed with an augmented state equation, which was composed of the optical flow model of a camera and the equation of the AUV's motion. The system design and the hardware configuration of ASUM are presented in this paper. ASUM recognizes the target position by processing the captured image for the lights, which are installed around the end of the cone-type entrance of the duct. Unfortunately, experiments are not yet conducted when we write this article. The authors will present the results for the AUV docking test.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2003

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are unmanned, underwater vessels that are used to investigate sea environments in the study of oceanography. Docking systems are required to increase the capability of the AUVs, to recharge the batteries, and to transmit data in real time for specific underwater works, such as repented jobs at sea bed. This paper presents a visual :em control system used to dock an AUV into an underwater station. A camera mounted at the now center of the AUV is used to guide the AUV into dock. To create the visual servo control system, this paper derives an optical flow model of a camera, where the projected motions of the image plane are described with the rotational and translational velocities of the AUV. This paper combines the optical flow equation of the camera with the AUVs equation of motion, and deriver a state equation for the visual servo AUV. Further, this paper proposes a discrete-time MIMO controller, minimizing a cost function. The control inputs of the AUV are automatically generated with the projected target position on the CCD plane of the camera and with the AUVs motion. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the modeling and the control law of the visual servo AUV simulations on docking the AUV to a target station are performed with the 6-dof nonlinear equations of REMUS AUV and a CCD camera.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.43-56
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• 2011

An integrated system composed of guidance, navigation and control (GNC) system for autonomous proximity operations and the docking of two spacecraft was developed. The position maneuvers were determined through the integration of the state-dependent Riccati equation formulated from nonlinear relative motion dynamics and relative navigation using rendezvous laser vision (Lidar) and a vision sensor system. In the vision sensor system, a switch between sensors was made along the approach phase in order to provide continuously effective navigation. As an extension of the rendezvous laser vision system, an automated terminal guidance scheme based on the Clohessy-Wiltshire state transition matrix was used to formulate a "V-bar hopping approach" reference trajectory. A proximity operations strategy was then adapted from the approach strategy used with the automated transfer vehicle. The attitude maneuvers, determined from a linear quadratic Gaussian-type control including quaternion based attitude estimation using star trackers or a vision sensor system, provided precise attitude control and robustness under uncertainties in the moments of inertia and external disturbances. These functions were then integrated into an autonomous GNC system that can perform proximity operations and meet all conditions for successful docking. A six-degree of freedom simulation was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the integrated system.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.470-477
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• 2009

Modular reconfigurable robots with physical docking capability easily adapt to a new environment and many studies are necessary for the modular robots. In this paper, we propose a vision-based fuzzy autonomous docking controller for the modular docking robots. A modular docking robot platform which performs real-time image processing is designed and color-based object recognition method is implemented on the embedded system. The docking robot can navigate to a subgoal near a target robot while avoiding obstacles. Both a fuzzy obstacle avoidance controller and a fuzzy navigation controller for subgoal tracking are designed. We propose an autonomous docking controller using the fuzzy obstacle avoidance and navigation controllers, absolute distance information and direction informations of robots from PSD sensors and a compass sensor. We verify the proposed docking control method by docking experiments of the developed modular robots in the various environments with different distances and directions between robots.

• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2021

This paper proposes an assessment method using probability-based index for safe and successful underwater docking of autonomous underwater vehicles(AUVs) to the docking stations(DSs). The proposed method assesses the probability of docking according to the degree to which the state of the AUV is consistent with the state criteria for docking. The assessment is performed within a specific area considering the kinematic constraints and docking plans of the AUV. The assessment process is defining probability density function, calculating probabilities for reaching the docking station according to the difference to position and heading criteria, and computing the probability-based index in real-time. We verify the validity of the proposed method through analyzing the data acquired on operation test.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.51 no.10
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• pp.180-189
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• 2014

For a autonomous parking of unmanned car, this paper proposes a posture regulation algorithm of a car-like mobile robot, which is supported by a docking formation and a feedback linearization control law. Unlike the previous researches based on a path-planning and optimization algorithms, the autonomous car implemented the proposed autonomous parking algorithm can be parked without much computational burden and a high performance processor. Stability of the proposed docking formation and feedback linearization control law are analyzed and performance of the proposed algorithm is shown by implementing to the simulations with six scenarios and an actual car in the experiment place.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.181-193
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• 2022

This study presents a mission management technique that is a key component of underwater docking system used to expand the operating range of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). We analyzed the docking scenario and AUV operating environment, defining the feasible initial area (FIA) level, event level, and global path (GP) command to improve the rate of docking success and AUV safety. Non-holonomic constraints, mounted sensor characteristic, AUV and mission state, and AUV behavior were considered. Using AUV and docking station, we conducted experiments on land and at sea. The first test was conducted on land to prevent loss and damage of the AUV and verify stability and interconnection with other algorithms; it performed well in normal and abnormal situations. Subsequently, we attempted to dock under the sea and verified its performance; it also worked well in a sea environment. In this study, we presented the mission management technique and showed its performance. We demonstrated AUV docking with this algorithm and verified that the rate of docking success was higher compared to those obtained in other studies.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.311-317
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• 2010

In the paper, we propose an improved mobility method of modular robots by physical docking in the uneven environments. The modular robot system consists of autonomous docking device, 3 DOF robotic arm, motion controller, and main controller. Real-time location and direction of the robot are estimated using inner GPS and they are used to control direction and path of each robot for physical docking between modular robots. We design a navigation algorithm of modular robot using physical docking and cooperative navigation in the environment with broken road and low stair. The proposed method is verified by navigation experiments of three developed modular robots in the uneven environments.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.109.5-109
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• 2002

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are unmanned underwater vessels to investigate sea environments, oceanography and deep-sea resources autonomously. Docking systems are required to increase the capability of the AUVs to recharge the batteries and to transmit data in real time in underwater. This paper presents a visual servo control system for an AUV to dock into an underwater station with a camera. To make the visual servo control system , this paper derives an optical flow model of a camera mounted on an AUV, where a CCD camera is installed at the nose center of the AUV to monitor the docking condition. This paper combines the optical flow equation of the camera with the AUV's equation o...