Page 65 - The ROV Manual - A User Guide for Remotely Operated Vehicles 2nd edition

PART
The Vehicle 2
This part of the manual discusses the major components of a typical ROV system along with every- day underwater tasks ROVs perform.
As discussed earlier, the design team must consider the overall system. To reinforce the impor- tance of this point, a few additional words of wisdom about the design process are warranted.
An ROV is essentially a robot. What differentiates a robot from its immovable counterparts is its ability to move under its own power. Along with that power of locomotion comes the ability to navigate the robot, with ever increasing levels of autonomy to achieve some set goal. While the ROV system, by its nature, is one of the simplest robotic designs, complex assignments can be accomplished with a variety of closed-loop aids to navigation. Some ROV manufacturers are aggressively embracing the open-source computer-based control models, allowing users to design their own navigation and control matrix. This is an exciting development in the field of subsea robotics and will allow development of new techniques, which will only be limited by the user’s imagination. This concept takes the control of the development of navigation capabilities (which is the mission) from the hands of the design engineer (who may or may not understand the user’s needs) into the hands of the end user (who does understand the needs). Designing efficient and cost-effective systems with the user in mind is critical to the success of the product and ultimately the mission.