Vision-based system of AUV for an underwater pipeline tracker

This paper describes a new framework for detection and tracking of underwater pipeline,which includes software system and hardware system.It is designed for vision system of AUV based on monocular CCD camera.First,the real-time data flow from image capture card is pre-processed and pipeline features are extracted for navigation.The region saturation degree is advanced to remove false edge point group after Sobel operation.An appropriate way is proposed to clear the disturbance around the peak point in the process of Hough transform.Second,the continuity of pipeline layout is taken into account to improve the efficiency of line extraction.Once the line information has been obtained,the reference zone is predicted by Kalman filter.It denotes the possible appearance position of the pipeline in the image.Kalman filter is used to estimate this position in next frame so that the information of pipeline of each frame can be known in advance.Results obtained on real optic vision data in tank experiment are displayed and discussed.They show that the proposed system can detect and track the underwater pipeline online,and is effective and feasible.     

一种基于平稳小波变换的海底管线边缘检测方法

海底影像存在着对比度低、噪声污染严重、图像质量差等问题,采用传统算子的海底管线边缘图像中含有大量的无用和断裂边缘信息。文中将多尺度边缘检测和匹配跟踪相结合,提出利用平稳小波变换的海底管线边缘检测方法;在提取边缘的同时利用匹配跟踪手段对噪声干扰进行抑制,提高图像目标边缘检测质量。通过对海底管线和测试图像边缘检测实验表明,文中所提出的方法在抑制图像噪声的干扰、提高水下目标边缘完整性方面明显优于传统的边缘提取算子,证明该算法的有效性。     

Quantitative photogrammetric analysis of digital underwater videoimagery

This paper presents a photogrammetric model for digital underwater video imagery, which has been mostly applied to qualitative analysis in the marine environment. With this model, quantitative analysis of underwater images is possible, e.g., to locate positions, calculate sizes, and measure shapes of objects from image features. The underwater photogrammetric model is based on a three-dimensional optical ray tracing technique which rigorously models imaging systems with multilens configurations and multiple refractions. The calibration procedure with two independent phases has been proven to be efficient in simplifying the computation and improving the calibration accuracy. With the current imaging system configuration and photogrammetric model, an accuracy of 0.8 cm in lateral directions and 1.2 cm along the depth direction for objects located about 2-3 m from the camera system in the object space is attainable. A PC-based digital underwater photogrammetric prototype system has been developed to implement the underwater photogrammetric model     

海底管线检修潜水器垂直面控制及自航模试验

论述了纵倾控制律设计及自航模试验。首先选择一系列深度,对同一深度采用频域校正法单独设计控制律,使之对不同的速度和漂角具有足够的稳态精度和抗干扰性,这些控制律被集成统一为纵倾控制器,并根据潜深变化进行切换,对于其它深度采用同样的方法设计。控制器首先通过计算机仿真,然后进行自航模试验验证。设计的纵倾控制系统同时在其他试验项目中(水下管线跟踪和动力定位)发挥了重要的作用。     

Parametric study for underwater blast-induced pipeline response embedded in marine sediments

Abstract

Blast response of submerged pipelines has been a research focus in recent years. In this article, a three-dimensional numerical model is established to investigate dynamic response of pipelines due to underwater explosion. The u–p approximation is integrated into finite element method (FEM) to simulate pore water effect in the seabed. Numerical continuity between hydraulic pressure in the flow field and pore pressure in the marine sediment is guaranteed to realize the blast response of submerged pipelines in ocean environment. Both fluid–structure interaction (FSI) and pipeline–seabed interaction (PSI) have been considered in the proposed model simultaneously. A comprehensive parametric study is carried out after validation of the present model with test data from underground explosion and underwater explosion, respectively. The effect of embedment depth, TNT equivalent, stand-off distance, pipeline diameter, and pipeline thickness to blast response of the submerged pipelines is investigated based on numerical results. Variation of deformation patterns and stress distribution of the pipeline with various installation and structure parameters has been illustrated and discussed to facilitate engineering practice.     

一种基于双通道的水下图像增强卷积神经网络

近年来各国对于海洋生物的保护意识日益强烈,用来监测海洋生物生存状态的水下机器人装备的研发是保护海洋生物资源的关键。水下相机是这类机器人在水下进行海洋生物监测时的光学感知设备。然而水下环境复杂,拍摄到的图像模糊不清,为解决水下图像模糊等问题,提出了一种基于双通道的水下图像增强卷积神经网络。在网络的编码器中采用双通道结构,其中一个通道采用了密集连接和高效通道注意力机制,提取水下图像的细节特征,另一个通道采用多尺度结构,提取原始图像的多尺度语义特征。接着,在网络中引入残差注意力模块和自适应特征融合模块,进一步优化了特征。最后将优化后的特征输入解码器重建出增强后的水下图像。试验表明：提出的网络算法在UIQM指标和Entropy指标上分别为3.005 6和7.654 7,较第二名的算法分别高出0.097 5和0.123 2。     

海底管线磁场计算模型

为提高海底管线探测的效率,从磁偶极子模型出发,通过磁矩的轴向分解及其磁场的矢量合成,并考虑地磁背景场影响,提出了一种计算水下管线磁场的数学模型,通过仿真计算三种不同走向管线的磁场分布并与实测数据比对,证明所建模型是正确的。     

Side-scan sonar image matching

This paper presents a method for the matching of underwater images acquired with acoustic sensors. As a final objective, the system aims at matching data from two-dimensional scenes. The proposed approach carries out a hypothetical reasoning based on objects, represented by shadows and echoes in the sonar images, and their available features. The problem of determining measures which are invariant to changes in sonar settings and noise characteristics is addressed by mapping robust features for sonar images to a qualitative representation. To cope with the viewpoint charging appearance, the method is based on the conservation of objects' relative position from one image to another. We attempt to match geometrical structures formed by the association of three objects. The hypothetical reasoning is conducted in a decision tree framework. A tree node is generated by two objects' association, each one belonging to a respective image. Hypotheses propagation consists of creating new nodes from neighboring associations. The matching solution is determined by the selection of the decision tree's longest branch. Thus, the association mechanism is a depth-first procedure. The proposed method has been applied to real high-resolution side-scan sonar images. The matching process has shown successful and promising results which have been further improved. In particular, the parceled shadows (during the segmentation procedure) problem has been tackled     

Underwater Terrain Positioning Method Based on Least Squares Estimation for AUV

To achieve accurate positioning of autonomous underwater vehicles, an appropriate underwater terrain database storage format for underwater terrain-matching positioning is established using multi-beam data as underwater terrainmatching data. An underwater terrain interpolation error compensation method based on fractional Brownian motion is proposed for defects of normal terrain interpolation, and an underwater terrain-matching positioning method based on least squares estimation(LSE) is proposed for correlation analysis of topographic features. The Fisher method is introduced as a secondary criterion for pseudo localization appearing in a topographic features flat area, effectively reducing the impact of pseudo positioning points on matching accuracy and improving the positioning accuracy of terrain flat areas. Simulation experiments based on electronic chart and multi-beam sea trial data show that drift errors of an inertial navigation system can be corrected effectively using the proposed method. The positioning accuracy and practicality are high, satisfying the requirement of underwater accurate positioning.     

Underwater Terrain Positioning Method Based on Least Squares Estimation for AUV

To achieve accurate positioning of autonomous underwater vehicles, an appropriate underwater terrain database storage format for underwater terrain-matching positioning is established using multi-beam data as underwater terrain-matching data. An underwater terrain interpolation error compensation method based on fractional Brownian motion is proposed for defects of normal terrain interpolation, and an underwater terrain-matching positioning method based on least squares estimation (LSE) is proposed for correlation analysis of topographic features. The Fisher method is introduced as a secondary criterion for pseudo localization appearing in a topographic features flat area, effectively reducing the impact of pseudo positioning points on matching accuracy and improving the positioning accuracy of terrain flat areas. Simulation experiments based on electronic chart and multi-beam sea trial data show that drift errors of an inertial navigation system can be corrected effectively using the proposed method. The positioning accuracy and practicality are high, satisfying the requirement of underwater accurate positioning.     

超短基线多度重叠影像的水下交会精度分析

摄影测量的处理工作主要依赖于自动的影像匹配技术,如果影像之间的辐射差异越小,即摄影基线越短,则自动匹配精度越高,但是从理论上说基线越短空间交会精度越低,而水下由于众多干扰因素影响,空间交会的精度更低。针对这一难题,从理论上分析了空间交会精度的主要影响因子,考虑涉水拍摄环境时水对光线的折射影响,提出将超短基线多度重叠影像应用于涉水摄影测量,并通过双介质空间交会实验和水下空间交会实验,验证了在涉水情况下,利用超短基线多度重叠影像能够大幅度地提高水下目标物的空间交会精度。得出的结论对越来越多的涉水摄影测量应用具有积极的参考价值。     

Underwater vehicle obstacle avoidance and path planning using amulti-beam forward looking sonar

This paper describes a new framework for segmentation of sonar images, tracking of underwater objects and motion estimation. This framework is applied to the design of an obstacle avoidance and path planning system for underwater vehicles based on a multi-beam forward looking sonar sensor. The real-time data flow (acoustic images) at the input of the system is first segmented and relevant features are extracted. We also take advantage of the real-time data stream to track the obstacles in following frames to obtain their dynamic characteristics. This allows us to optimize the preprocessing phases in segmenting only the relevant part of the images. Once the static (size and shape) as well as dynamic characteristics (velocity, acceleration,…) of the obstacles have been computed, we create a representation of the vehicle's workspace based on these features. This representation uses constructive solid geometry (CSG) to create a convex set of obstacles defining the workspace. The tracking takes also into account obstacles which are no longer in the field of view of the sonar in the path planning phase. A well-proven nonlinear search (sequential quadratic programming) is then employed, where obstacles are expressed as constraints in the search space. This approach is less affected by local minima than classical methods using potential fields. The proposed system is not only capable of obstacle avoidance but also of path planning in complex environments which include fast moving obstacles. Results obtained on real sonar data are shown and discussed. Possible applications to sonar servoing and real-time motion estimation are also discussed     

Computer modeling and the design of optimal underwater imagingsystems

A computer model to simulate the formation of underwater images has been developed. The model incorporates the inherent and apparent properties of the propagation of light in water. An image is approximated as a linear superposition of several image components. The model has been used to simulate the relative advantages of different camera/light configurations. The results indicate that extremely large gains in image contrast can be obtained by careful design of beam patterns and the manipulation of camera and light locations. The performance of range-gated systems is explored, and it is demonstrated that these systems are presently power limited. In order to obtain better quality images at larger distances, an imaging configuration which consists of scanning an incoherent light beam across the field of view of a camera is proposed. The incoherent light-scanning system is shown to have advantages over both conventional imaging techniques and range-gated methods     

Real-time path planning and obstacle avoidance for RAIS: anautonomous underwater vehicle

This paper describes a navigation and guidance system (NGS) with real-time path planning and obstacle avoidance capabilities that has been developed for the autonomous underwater vehicle RAIS. The vehicle is designed to accomplish two missions: pre-deployment survey of sea bottom, and visual inspection of pipelines. In the first mission, the NGS must be able to track a predefined path while avoiding the unplanned occurrence of obstacles. In the second mission, the NGS must track a pipeline by locally reconstructing its location from visual information; also in this case, the unplanned occurrence of obstacles must be handled. Furthermore, the NGS must properly take into account the presence of ocean current and some drastic constraints due to sensor and actuator characteristics. Numerical and hardware-in-the-loop simulations have been developed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed NGS     

基于非锐化掩模引导滤波的水下图像细节增强算法研究

针对水下图像对比度偏低,细节模糊的问题,本文提出基于非锐化掩模引导滤波的细节增强方法。首先由原始图像做引导图进行滤波得到细节层图像,并对细节层使用噪声检测的中值滤波去除斑点噪声;然后对原始图像进行基于均值滤波的非锐化掩模,得到锐化图像,并将锐化图像作为引导图对原始图像进行引导滤波,获取基础层图像;最后将滤波后的细节层进行增益后与引导滤波获取的基础层进行叠加,达到增强水下图像细节的目的。并通过信息熵、局部对比度和平均梯度3种客观评价指标对图像处理结果进行了对比分析,主观和客观测试结果表明,本文采用的算法能够有效提高图像对比度以及增强细节信息,有利于提高水下图像资料解释的准确性。     

浅海海底管线检测艇操纵性和运动仿真研究

研究了用于维护和检修中国渤海海域输油管道的浅海管道检测艇的操纵性和运动仿真,提出了浅海海底管道检测艇的水动力学方程。为了更好地了解在配置上与一般潜器不同的浅海海底管线检测艇的动力学性能,通过水动力系数分析,研究了浅海海底管线检测艇的操纵性。最后根据运动方程建立了仿真系统,并通过仿真试验结果验证了仿真试验平台的可行性和可靠性。     

Research on Maneuverability and Simulation of Underwater Vehicles for Pipeline Detection and Maintenance

1 .IntroductionWiththe advent of underwater vehicle technology in the offshore industry, major survey and in-spectiontasks can be done at lower cost withfaster execution.Pipe inspection is of major interest inthat respect because thousands of meters of pi…     

侧扫声纳在海底管道悬空调查中的应用

海底管道在铺设及运营过程中,受各种因素的影响,会形成部分悬空状态。为保证油管的安全运营,研究了一种基于声学的快速检测方法:主要利用侧扫声纳获取油管附近声学影像,通过数据判读的方法分析并获取管线状态。然后使用该方法,在册镇海底管线调查中进行了应用测试。声学检测结论与水下探摸结果进行比较,测试结果表明该方法可高效、快速、准确并低成本地检测管线状态,可为海底管道运营与治理提供有力的技术支持。     

Hydroelastic response of a very large floating structure over a variable bottom topography

An influence of sea-bottom topography on the hydroelastic response of a Very Large Floating Structure (VLFS) is considered. When the floating structure is constructed near the shore, the sea-bottom topographical effect should be considered. In this study, the effect of sea-bottom topography is investigated for four different bottom cases. To calculate the sea-bottom effects rigorously, the finite-element method based on the variational formulation is used in the fluid domain. The pontoon-type floating structure is modeled as the Kirchhoff plate. The mode superposition method is adopted for the hydroelastic behavior of the floating structure.     

基于微地貌特征的西太平洋菲律宾海海底稳定性评价

随着海洋战略地位的逐步提高,深远海海底资源开发和海洋工程建设将面临巨大挑战,主要是受限于技术手段,高精度调查资料难以获取,无法全面准确地进行海底稳定性评价。针对这一问题,本文提出了基于微地貌特征的深远海海底稳定性评价方法。基于已有的研究工作,本文选取西太平洋菲律宾海中南部某区域为研究区,利用ArcGIS平台建立研究区DEM（Digital Elevation Model）,提取宏、微观地貌因子,结合全球地震数据、研究区底质类型和潜在地质灾害分布特征,运用模糊数学方法评价研究区海底稳定性,并绘制海底稳定性区划图。结果显示,对区域3220个评价单元进行稳定性分析,可将研究区海底稳定性划分为5个等级,包括基本稳定、较稳定、中等稳定、较不稳定和不稳定。其中,稳定区主要集中在较为平坦的中北部,不稳定区多发育在九州-帕劳海岭、海山、山间盆地等大规模地貌单元发育区,分析揭示,研究区海底稳定性与微地貌特征密切相关。因此,本文提出的基于微地貌特征的海底稳定性评价方法,能够很好地服务于深远海海底稳定性评价。