Abstract:

This paper presents a new framework for the development of an ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) as a final tangible objective, but also important is the creation of a team to get it.

In recent years, the investment on the ROVs has increased significantly. Moreover, the number of underwater investigations has advanced constantly, in the fields of submarine environments, marine geology, chemical, naval engineering, among many others. The ROV was born because of the needed for a resource in these investigations. This equipment must be capable and efficient into this environment, the underwater one.

At present, there is a large list of ROVs, provided with more efficiency and features, but the cost is relatively expensive. The primary objective of this project is to create a low-cost ROV for investigations with a low budget. For these reasons, the design of this ROV uses Open Hardware and Open Software. Furthermore, the structure and the electronic components of the ROV are designed with cheap materials which are also easy to be found, as far as possible.

The addition of different specific projects, set the methodology to create a big project incorporated these specific projects, compose part of the vehicle submarine. Every part is revised by the teacher of this knowledge area involved in the project.

At present, the project continues developing and growing. For the students, the possibility of forming part of this project is a great opportunity to apply the knowledge achieved along their studies to a common project, and create a multidisciplinary working team with a common goal to attain from different areas of knowledge. It has also provided the students with the opportunity of extending the project into their final degree project, Master thesis and PhD thesis, respectively.

Finally, collaboration among different areas of knowledge is essential. As a result, the creation of a multidisciplinary group of teachers and students, have been collaborating towards obtaining an operative ROV. The areas involved in this project are: science and navigation techniques, shipbuilding, robotics, mechanics, electronics, Computer Science, hydrodynamics, automatics, ... Therefore, the project team has been composed of teachers and students from the Computer Engineering, Radioelectronic Engineering and Shipbuilding Engineering fields of the University of Cadiz.

Keywords:

ROV, Remote Operated Vehicle, MULTIDISCIPLINARY, robotic