Abstract
This article describes an open source Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) designed to operate in indoor laboratory environments. The microUSV is small (23cm long) and inexpensive (approximately $320 per unit for 10 vessels): an ideal hardware platform for algorithm validation and marine swarm robotics research. The primary design goal was to minimize the vehicle's size and cost while providing a stable and maneuverable platform with onboard autonomy. To that end the vehicle is built using 3D printed and off-the-shelf hobbyist electronic components and uses an overhead camera system to simulate sensor data to minimize the number of onboard sensors required. This article describes the context, design, and assembly procedures for a microUSV and demonstrates the platform's base-level functionality in the form of a waypoint following controller implementation for both single and multi-robot configurations.
Highlights
The intended application for our proposed platform is to test algorithms developed for swarm robotics, such as the approach described in [5], as methods for ocean contaminant collection using a fleet of Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV)
Finding no available USV platforms suitable for swarm robotics research, we have developed our own: The microUSV, shown in Fig. 1, is a small USV platform designed for use in laboratory environments
This article has presented an open source USV system designed to operate in indoor laboratory environments
Summary
Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) are autonomous boats capable of augmenting or even replacing the use of manned vessels in dangerous and/or monotonous tasks These platforms are commonly used for oceanographic research and military applications such as surveillance and environmental monitoring [1]. Open source solutions are generally much less expensive and can be built and modified by an individual user or researcher to suit their specific needs Such platforms are slowly being introduced to the research community such as the Jetyak [7], ARCAB [8], and SMARTBoat 3 [9]. The design leverages 3D printing and off-the-shelf hobbyist electronics to produce a marine robotics research platform that costs just over $500 CAD for a single unit and is much cheaper when produced in multiples It measures 23 cm in length and so is capable of maneuvering in the. This article, coupled with the project repository Wiki [14], will describe the procedures to assemble and test a microUSV and demonstrates the platform’s basic functionality
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