Embedded Files
WHAT IS IT?
A compact 360° LIDAR system for underwater bathymetry and water column observation using AUVs.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The 360° scanning angle is achieved via a monogon laser scanner. The 360° field of view is achieved by a circular arrangement of individual detectors or alternatively by second synchronized monogon directing light to a single detector. Transmitter and receiver can be housed in the same section of the hull for a monostatic configuration or be housed in an individual section for a bistatic configuration. The image formation is due to the forward motion of the AUV resulting in a cylindrical point cloud along the path of the AUV or similar underwater platform, e.g., towfish, etc.
WHAT WILL IT ACCOMPLISH?
Generate a cylindrical 3D point cloud along the path of the platform. Data will be acquired in all directions, i.e., below, above, and on the side of the sensor.
Underwater LIDAR systems have advantages over SONAR based imaging sensors in terms of power efficiency, resolution, and space requirements. A novel 360° LIDAR system is being developed cooperatively by USM and BeamSea LLC. The 360° LIDAR allows the collection of a unique cylindrical 3D point cloud. The system is capable to detect reflections from hard surfaces within the field of view of the LIDAR system as well as from the volume scattering throughout the water column. The new system has several unique applications for which traditional LIDAR systems with a directional field of view are not well suited. For example, the 360° system is well suited to collect bathymetric data in shallow water where pressure changes due to wave action can easily skew the depth sensor of an AUV. The 360° LIDAR system senses the seafloor as well as the sea surface and hence can provide data about the height of the water column without needing to resort to pressure measurements. Furthermore, the system can be used to navigate in and inspect harbor environments where objects of interest can be at the bottom, on the surface, or suspended in mid-water. Similarly, the system can be used to inspect oil rigs, which again require a Lidar system that is omnidirectional in order to capture the entire structure. Operating in deep water, the system can investigate thin layers of suspended particles that often form in the ocean, whether these layers are above or below the sensor. Other examples include the mapping of shallow water regions with or without ice cover. In these cases, the 360° LIDAR can measure the wave high or the ice/water interface with respect to the seafloor using the same sensor. With the development of new processing techniques for this unique cylindrical point cloud, the system is believed to find many more unique applications in future iterations.
Research Challenges and Opportunities:
Gather 3D Lidar data above and below an AUV.
Develop data processing techniques for cylindrical point clouds.
Develop autonomous navigation based on 3D cylindrical point cloud
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse