Project description
Robots conduct ship hull inspection
Underwater hull cleaning is an important part of ship maintenance, which includes all techniques used to keep the part of the ship under the waterline in good condition. The EU-funded BugWright2 project will develop and demonstrate an adaptable autonomous robotic solution for servicing the outer hulls of ships. It will combine the survey capabilities of autonomous micro air vehicles (MAV) and small autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) with teams of magnetic-wheeled crawlers operating directly on the surface of the structure. The project will facilitate a multi-robot visual and acoustic inspection, detecting corrosion patches or cleaning the surface as necessary. What is more, the technology being developed may also be adapted to storage tanks or other structures assembled out of metal plates.
Objective
The objective of BUGWRIGHT2 will be to bridge the gap between the current and desired capabilities of ship inspection and service robots by developing and demonstrating an adaptable autonomous robotic solution for servicing ship outer hulls. By combining the survey capabilities of autonomous Micro Air Vehicles (MAV) and small Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV), with teams of magnetic-wheeled crawlers operating directly on the surface of the structure, the project inspection and cleaning system will be able to seamlessly merge the acquisition of a global overview of the structure with performing a detailed multi-robot visual and acoustic inspection of the structure, detecting corrosion patches or cleaning the surface as necessary – all of this with minimal user intervention. The detailed information provided will be integrated into a real-time visualization and decision-support user-interface taking advantage of virtual reality technologies. Although ships are the targetted application, BUGWRIGHT2 technology may be easily adapted to different structures assembled out of metal plates, and in particular to storage tanks, our secondary application domain.
The project consists of a large consortium bringing together not only the technological knowledge from academia but the complete value chain of the inspection robotic market: two SMEs, one class society to evaluate the use of these technologies in the certification processes, a marine service provider and two harbors to provide access to ships, one shipyard to deploy the system within a maintenance framework and two shipowners. In addition, specialists in maritime laws and workplace psychologists will ensure that the digitalization of this market sector is designed around user acceptance. Finally, a specialist in innovation will lead the dissemination and exploitation activities.
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssystem softwareoperating systems
- social scienceslawadmiralty law
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringroboticsautonomous robots
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationsvirtual reality
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
75794 Paris
France
See on map
Participants (22)
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
57070 Metz
See on map
60304 Senlis Cedex
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
Participation ended
68068 Mulhouse
See on map
4099-002 Porto
See on map
07122 Palma De Mallorca
See on map
69621 Villeurbanne Cedex
See on map
52062 Aachen
See on map
9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
See on map
7491 Trondheim
See on map
54296 Trier
See on map
211 18 Malmo
See on map
9020 Klagenfurt Am Worthersee
See on map
44300 Nantes
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
7042 Trondheim
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
16128 Genova
See on map
18537 Piraeus
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
4450718 Leca Da Palmeira
See on map
2810 001 Almada
See on map
7462 Trondheim
See on map
06410 Biot
See on map
3011 Limassol
See on map
3036 Limassol
See on map