Tecotec

AGD - an autonomous, actively guided magnetic field probe for ordnance detection

Unexploded ordnance from two World Wars and other military activities can be found in almost all German waters. In the North and Baltic Seas alone, over 1.6 million tonnes are a growing problem due to advanced corrosion.

Before offshore construction of pipelines, power lines or wind farms, munition detection surveys are carried out with large magnetometer platforms, towed 2-3 m above the seafloor and able to detect objects starting at 100 kg. Risks imposed by smaller ammunition are accepted due to lack of alternatives.

There is no systematic probing in inland  waters. Local manual surveys with smaller probe arrays (e.g., at construction sites) can also detect only large-caliber objects, since due to inaccurate level maintenance the distance to the bottom is large.

Solution

Magnetic-free propulsion drives, special electronics and shielding push the AGD electric and magnetic emissions under the ambient noise levels, whilst its bionic underwater positioning system allows to maintain centimeter-accurate 3D navigation close to the seafloor.

Mobile Underwater Sonar Technology

MUST - aims at conceiving, designing, and engineering an intelligent, manageable, distributed and reconfigurable underwater acoustic array that could drastically improve the efficacy of the methodologies used to perform geophysical and geotechnical acoustic surveys at sea.

Recent research have demonstrated that there is potential for groups of robots collaborating for ocean exploration and exploitation. Traditionally, these tasks are performed by experts from a surface vessel.  The idea driving this proposal is that of developing advanced cooperative and networked control / navigation systems to enable control of many marine robots (both on the surface and submerged) to interact by sharing information as a coordinated team.

The project brings together a group of research institutions, surveying companies and SMEs with a proven track record in autonomous adaptive and robust systems, communications, networked cooperative control and navigation, and marine robot design and fabrication.