Low-cost AUV Alba13 as multi-sensor platform with water sampler capabilities, for application in multi-agent ocean research applications

Commercial Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are in general very complex and expensive machines. Because of this reason, planning long term multi-agent surveys at sea based on the deployment of a substantial number of such kind of vehicles, become a difficult task and, in general, non a realistic or feasible possibility. With the aim of providing a low-cost platform based on open source technology and software, the project Alba initiated its path in 2012. This project try to close the gap between commercial AUV features and researchers needs. It is very frequent the situation when scientists do not require the high capabilities that commercial vehicles provide. This concept opens the window for planning persistent multi agent surveys, in a way that not excessive cost for the equipment is needed. This paper progresses in the idea on the feasibility of this kind of vehicles, advancing in the development of a second prototype of the low cost AUV Alba-13. The purpose of this second prototype is its validation as a sampling platform. Water samples are stored in basic commercial syringes. This configuration provides two important advantages: keep the containers sterile until its placement on the sampler holding and low cost and easy replacement. The first part of this paper is devoted to explain the process of the design and construction of an unit of the AUV ALBA 13, done by students [1] from the `Design and Materials' and `Marine Technology' Faculty and departments of NTNU along the year 2013.