Towards Robot-Aided Diver Navigation in Mapped Environments (ROADMAP)

Technical dives are challenging as they often involve inhospitable sites with limited or no visibility, dangerous or cluttered environments and are under a constant influence of external disturbances. Diver augmented vision displays can play a significant role when it comes to assisting divers to fully understand tasks that need to be accomplished in these situations. In order for such a system to function properly, precise diver navigation and localization relative to the object of interest needs to be ensured. Further, to improve safety, integrating physiological instrumentation in the diver’s suit enhances such a system by providing a picture of their physiology in real-time. This paper presents the project researching a novel concept of a diver-robot interaction system that combines advanced AUV navigation capabilities with a smart diving suit benefiting the diver.