Autonomous Unmanned Vehicle Systems & Intelligent Robotics (AUVSIR)

The Autonomous Unmanned Vehicle Systems & Intelligent Robotics (AUVSIR) team was tasked with the development of a robotic system for the navigation and exploration of one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa. For this task there were several important considerations made with the direction and emphasis of the project. Europa’s intriguing feature is the predicted subsurface water. With the presence of water brings the curiosity for the possibility of life. This year’s AUVSIR team decided to focus on the development of an AUV to tackle the navigation of this important environment. Considering previous challenges, such as waterproofing issues and a constrained electronic housing, the team shifted to a new design that incorporated an SLA Printed Photopolymer Resin method for constructing the hull. The development of the new hull allowed for greater flexibility and more modularity. New and improved modularity allowed for critical systems to be developed, including the pressurization of the hull, custom battery for long runs, and an integrated camera system. The improvements to the hull allowed for the implementation of a more powerful computer system for improved vision functionality. On the software end, camera and IMU systems were developed to improve navigation while eliminating the need for a sonar system. With the improvements to our hull design and modularity, as well as the improvements to navigation methodology, our team made considerable progress in developing a successful AUV system.