Executive Summary : | Marine robotics has made significant progress in various areas, including sensors, energy devices, communication techniques, vehicle hydrodynamic design, and advanced systems for mission command, navigation, and control. However, there is a need for hybrid marine robots capable of transitioning between multiple modes of operation seamlessly, including tele-operation, co-operation, and fully autonomous modes. This joint project proposes innovative developments for marine robots and related systems to ensure safe, reliable, and effective execution of scientific missions. The project aims to design, implement, and test advanced hybrid underwater vehicle guidance and control primitives and subsystems, as well as AI tools for object detection and classification. The project also aims to develop advanced seabed imaging techniques using AI tools, with potential applications in ocean floor characterization and habitat mapping and monitoring. The project will involve full integration of selected subsystems on robotic vehicles in India and Portugal, followed by representative field tests. The project aims to develop advanced sensor/data fusion methods and AI classification tools for fast and accurate seabed imaging and characterization of benthic ecosystems. |