IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 72

Tracking Divers
An Autonomous Marine Surface
Vehicle to Increase Diver Safety

By Nikola Miškovic´, Ðula Nad¯,
and Ivor Rendulic´

D

iving is a high-risk activity due to the hazardous environment, dependence on technical equipment for life support, complexity of underwater navigation, and limited monitoring from the surface. This article
describes a new concept of using an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV)
as a private satellite that tracks divers, thus significantly increasing diving safety. Since the vehicle is above the diver at all times, acoustic communication
with the diver interface in the form of an underwater tablet is more efficient and
robust, which enhances diver navigation and enables reliable monitoring from the
surface. This article focuses on a diver-tracking control structure that uses a diver
motion estimator to determine diver position, even in cases when acoustic position
measurements are not available.
Conducting experiments with divers presents a challenge due to uncertainties,
such as those introduced by the environment, unmodeled dynamics, acoustic
sensors, and divers themselves (e.g., the emission of air bubbles). A step-by-step
experimental plan, which includes a virtual diver (VD), an underwater remotely
operated vehicle (ROV), and a human diver, allows the identification of different
uncertainties. The results show that the mean tracking error with a VD (influenced only by the environment and unmodeled dynamics) is around 0.5 m; with
an ROV (including the influence of acoustic sensor), it is around 1 m; and with a
human diver, it is around 1.8 m. These data are validated against ground-truth
video imagery.

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2015.2448851
Date of publication: 11 September 2015

72

*

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

©istockphoto.com/tumpikuja

*

SEpTEMBER 2015

1070-9932/15©2015IEEE



http://www.istockphoto.com/tumpikuja

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015

IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - Cover1
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - Cover2
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 1
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 2
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 3
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 4
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 5
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 6
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 7
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 8
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 9
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 10
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 11
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 12
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 13
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 14
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 15
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 16
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 17
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 18
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 19
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 20
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 21
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 22
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 23
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 24
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 25
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 26
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 27
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 28
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 29
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 30
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 31
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 32
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 33
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 34
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 35
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 36
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 37
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 38
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 39
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 40
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 41
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 42
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 43
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 44
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 45
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 46
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 47
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 48
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 49
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 50
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 51
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 52
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 53
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 54
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 55
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 56
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 57
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 58
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 59
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 60
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 61
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 62
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 63
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 64
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 65
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 66
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 67
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 68
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 69
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 70
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 71
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 72
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 73
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 74
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 75
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 76
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 77
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 78
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 79
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 80
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 81
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 82
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 83
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 84
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 85
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 86
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 87
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 88
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 89
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 90
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 91
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 92
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 93
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 94
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 95
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 96
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 97
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 98
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 99
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 100
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 101
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 102
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 103
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 104
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 105
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 106
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 107
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 108
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 109
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 110
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 111
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 112
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 113
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 114
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 115
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 116
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 117
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 118
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 119
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 120
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 121
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 122
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 123
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 124
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 125
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 126
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 127
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 128
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 129
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 130
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 131
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 132
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 133
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 134
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 135
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 136
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 137
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 138
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 139
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 140
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 141
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 142
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 143
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 144
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 145
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 146
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 147
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 148
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 149
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 150
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 151
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 152
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 153
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 154
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 155
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 156
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 157
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 158
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 159
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 160
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 161
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 162
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 163
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 164
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 165
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 166
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 167
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 168
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 169
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 170
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 171
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 172
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 173
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 174
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 175
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 176
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 177
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 178
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 179
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 180
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 181
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 182
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 183
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 184
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 185
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 186
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 187
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 188
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 189
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 190
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 191
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 192
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - Cover3
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2010
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com