High Precision Open Laboratory 3D Positioning System for Automated Underwater Measurements

Underwater measurements in a lab environment are challenging, with sensors or objects that need to be positioned precisely and reproducible. Existing systems are expensive, often not suited for underwater usage, and not flexible. Underwater’s main challenges are determining the “exact” relative position and a positioning system that is operated reliably in a wet environment. The commercial systems available are fixed in dimensions and cannot be fitted to lab conditions. We present our open solution, which is scalable and flexible to be adapted to other applications. The solution consists of a table with readily adaptable components such as positioning components integrated into an MQTT environment with precise stepper motor units. The table is easy to adapt in size, and we take care of special placement for electrical components to not get into contact with water. The system achieves a noticeable performance and is fully automated. The speed is adaptable between 1 mm/s and 30 mm/s, with a resolution of 0.1 mm.