Page 23 - 2020 Interconnect Innovations eBook

key considerations included ensuring that the marine drone was the right size to conduct military missions, help first responders with recovery efforts, and go on small-boat scientific explorations and rugged enough to go underwater to a depth of 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) and send sonar and sensor data and HD video back to the surface. It also had to be multifunctional so that it could be tethered to the topside when information was being gathered in real time or remotely operated to navigate into places where a tether might get in the way. Furthermore, the price tag had to be affordable.
SRS engineers searched for a small, rugged fiber optic connector that was easy to install and could handle massive amounts of data in tough oceanic conditions. They chose a single-fiber connector from the Fischer FiberOptic Series that is rated IP68 at depths down to two meters for 24 hours and then worked closely with Fischer Connectors to test and qualify the connector for use at extreme depths.
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» Strategic Robotics Systems’ FUSION unmanned underwater vehicle uses a unique orange fiber optic cable terminated with a specialized single-fiber Fischer FiberOptic connector on both the topside and subsea ends to enable the fast and accurate transmission of HD video and other data in real time.
Case 3: TWIICE Exoskeleton — Lightweight, User-Friendly Connectivity
Modern robotic systems that require components specially tailored to satisfy unique application demands are best developed through close cooperation and partnership between OEMs and suppliers. The components designed into robotic medical, military, and mobility applications not only need to be as durable, resilient, and robust as possible but must also optimize size, weight and power (SWaP) characteristics. Portable and wearable systems like exoskeletons — specially designed, body-worn robotic supports for people with physical disabilities or with heavy physical workloads — need to be designed with the user in mind and comfortable to wear. For example, TWIICE, the wearable robotic exoskeleton engineered by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne to help people with spinal cord injuries walk again, required both the device designs and connectivity solutions to be as small and lightweight as possible. The main challenge was the development of a modular device that could easily be customized for different users and levels of disability.
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