The goal of this prototype is to improve upon current operation of subsea imaging for the UMass Boston research group with a submerged rig providing semi-autonomous control to image kelp forests. Key design challenges were powering electronics underwater and having an assembly with balanced weight and buoyancy. To power all electronics, a subsea battery was used which needed electrical current calculations to analyze propellor thrust that can be supplied and the resulting system runtime. Power calculations were performed by hand and with plotted in MATLAB. Calculations were compared against benchtop and full system testing, checking reading serial outputs from an Arduino to confirm power. Buoyancy calculations were performed by hand and with MATLAB calculations, and the results were analyzed against FEA fluid simulations and full system drag and towing testing done in the pool. Power performance was found to meet product specifications and allowed for adequate thrust and run time for the rig. When tested in the pool, the submerged rig was buoyantly balanced, maintaining rotational stability.
As a core team member, my contributions included:
Mechanical lead for rig housing and gimbal, maintaining balanced enclosure for the Pro Squid 2 camera.
Housing design allows for adjustable thruster placement for varying depths and turbidity, allowing for improved performance in different conditions.
Gimbal design features dampened ring for leveling performance of the camera surface, allowing for smooth video capture of the seafloor.
CAD and FEA lead for simulation analysis, utilizing SolidWorks and ANSYS Fluid to compare theoretical values against pool testing.
Calculated balance of system within 1.2% of lab testing, with strong agreement based on the the Fluid model. Balanced system meets design requirements for speeds under 10 knots.
Project manager through coordination with external suppliers and machine shop, aligning procurement of required components within timelines for project milestones.
Managed MS Project spreadsheet for all ongoing activities and aligned with broader team as the design evolved.
