The Research Of Automatic Underwater Manipulator Approaching Sensor

Ocean covers a large surface of the earth and is less explored. With the energy on earth consuming up, the development of ocean becomes more and more important. The underwater vehicles and the robotic manipulators are effective tools to help people to explore this unfamiliar world.In this paper, we present the three-dimensional orientation function of an Automatic Underwater Manipulator, and give out installation diagram of the visual sensor and approaching sensor, which carry out the three-dimensional orientation function. Also, we analyze the merits and defects of several kinds of approaching sensor. Finally, ultrasonic approaching sensor is applied, and the feasibility, principle, merits and defects of the ultrasonic approaching sensor are analyzed. In order to develop it, we use the multi-probe arrays consist of high-frequency, narrow beam angle probes.According to the requests of the working conditions, accuracy and reliability, we analyze the transmiting and receiving circuits and give their structure diagram. The key technologies such as the resonance of transmiting circuit, magnifying and filter of receiving circuit are studied and the illumination and calculation are given out. After the hardware is completed, the process flow chart of software is given.Debugging works of the software and hardware have been done sepatatedly; the experiment pictures and important data are illuminated. The problems which appeared during the experiments, have been given out solutions. The results have fulfilled our expectation.Finally, from our design and development experience, we point out the key technologies which could be improved and optimized. They are the directions of our next study .