Autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) (Image by YU Daoyang)

As for water quality detection and sampling technology, the available domestic water robot has its own limitations that through on-line detection, it generally detects conventional water quality parameters. In this case, it is difficult to comprehensively detect the organic substances, nutrients and heavy metals in water and the water detection is conducted only through water samples in the laboratory. Thus, the conventional water detection technology fails in the in-situ and real-time detection of heavy metals and other important pollutants. In addition, the available technology apply only to shallow water. While it fails in detecting the distribution of the water quality at different depth levels in the water.

Given this, employing wind and solar hybrid generating system, a study team led by Prof. LIU Jinhuai’s from Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IIM, CAS), fabricated an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) which can be applied on the water surface for float automatic cleaning, automatic oil removal and in-situ water measurements and so on.

This new-designed ASV has absolute advantages over the existing water unmanned surface vehicle. The power source comes from large capacity battery, wind and solar power hybrid generating system which solve the motive forces problem of the long duration cruising for surface robot. Additionally, to cope with the robot global path planning and local real-time obstacle avoidance, the new ASV employs two-mode target recognition method based on vision and radar to develop intelligent algorithm. Moreover, the new ASV manages to overcome difficulty in automatic control of surface target via integrating multi-mode navigation system, the three dimensional electronic compass, drive automatic control of motor speed control technology, high bandwidth wireless data real-time transmission technology and artificial intelligence technology.

Since the advantages mentioned above, the water surface vehicle is taken as a platform to achieve the three-dimensional section in-situ and real-time detection and pollution state analysis of water quality. Moreover, the water quality monitoring instrument developed by the water vehicle is state-of-the-art and it is integrated into the surface of the water robot platform to build mobile water quality monitoring laboratory that can replace the available water quality monitoring station or monitoring buoy to achieve in-situ monitoring and early warning in any water and all-weather with low cost water quality

Taking the ASV as the common platform, researchers have developed surface autonomous trash-cleaning robot, which consists of surface float automatic recovery device and the ASV. Similar to house cleaning robot, it is mainly used in sea, lakes, rivers, beaches and scenic lakes, ponds, and other solid waste disposal. It can be used even in danger zone by remote operations to enhance safety and efficiency.

Furthermore, researchers have also developed an efficient reusable super hydrophobic lipophilic material at a low cost. With the help of this material, surface vehicle can automatically identify the oil spill water, autonomous cruise, automatic cleaning and recovery of spilled oil. In this way, efficiency and automation level are improved with the cost saved.

At present, IIM has fabricated a prototype and its industrialization is underway.

Drawing extensive attention, the new design was reported by Xinhua Net, China News Network, People's Daily, CCTV network, Anhui Daily and other medias.

Interface for control system of ASV (Image by YU Daoyang)

Contact:

Dr. Yu Daoyang, Associate Professor

Institute of Intelligent Machines，Chinese Academy of Sciences

Hefei, Anhui 230031, China

Tel:0551-65592385

E-mail:ydy@iim.ac.cn