Bluefin Robotics and MIT Demonstrate Payload Autonomy

Photo courtesy Bluefin Robotics.

By Holly Gonzalez



Bluefin Robotics and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have completed a demonstration of the MOOS-IvP Payload Autonomy concept using the Bluefin-9 and Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicles. 



The Office of Naval Research provided sponsorship for the project, and supplemental support was received from Bluefin Robotics and Battelle.

The MOOS-IvP, also called Backseat Driver, was installed on a PC/104 computer in Bluefin-21 dry main electronics housing.

MOOS-IvP is made up of an open-source C++ module able to adapt the unmanned system autonomously based on environmental sensory input.



In the lab, behaviors and mission plans were tested and then were uploaded to MIT’s autonomy module. At the demonstration, the data storage module was removed and the autonomy module was deployed. Commands were sent via iPhone to the topside computer, then to the acoustic modem and finally to the vehicle. 



“Under the payload autonomy operational paradigm, MOOS-IvP serves as unified communication, command and control infrastructure for managing multiple vehicles from one set of topside equipment. A single human operating several AUVs has the potential of significantly reducing the operational cost of undersea sensing networks, while multiplying AUV effectiveness for both defense and oceanographic applications, such as those envisioned under the NSF [National Science Foundation] Ocean Observatory Initiative,” Henrik Schmidt, professor and director of the Laboratory for Autonomous Marine Sensing Systems at MIT, says. 



The group will perform a demonstration of MOOS-IvP on a Bluefin-9 at MOOS-DAWG 2013 on 29 July. For more event information, visit http://www.moos-dawg.org.