Plug-in Technologies for Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) Platforms for supporting underwater archaeological field research and sea surveying
Upgrade your ROV with advanced plug-in applications for more effective underwater archaeological research and seafloor surveying.
ROV systems have become an indispensable technological tool in the field of underwater archaeological research. If you are looking to modernize and upgrade your ROV, we offer five innovative, advanced plug-in applications that integrate with your ROV, enhancing the efficiency of underwater archaeological research and beyond. These applications are provided by EnaliaTec to third-party ROV owners and have also been implemented in the innovative semi-autonomous specialized ROV “HYDRIA”, developed as part of the u-ArchaeoRoV research project.
Comprehensive ROV Service Package
To maximize your ROV’s performance, we recommend combining the above applications into an integrated service package.
Upgrade your ROV with the latest technologies and ensure the best possible performance in underwater research!
Ensure direct communication between the diver and the surface team by connecting a mobile phone device to the ROV in a specially designed waterproof case that allows touch functionality. The diver will have access to all smartphone services via a Wi-Fi repeater (up to 90 meters depth). Additionally, a special command menu can be offered on the device, making communication with the surface much easier and faster.
Train your ROV to automatically recognize and document underwater findings using its cameras, such as amphorae, ceramic fragments, and stone anchors. The surface team can monitor the survey in real-time and identify new archaeological sites. Your ROV can be trained to recognize any underwater object of interest and even detect the flora and fauna of the area.
Capture and document underwater findings with geographic coordinates and overlay information, including compass orientation and scale, using our specially designed plug-in software. This software allows saving images with overlaid compass and scale information, along with geographic coordinates, if the ROV is additionally equipped with USBL (Ultra-Short Base Line) and DVL (Doppler Velocity Log) autonomous navigation systems. A specialized application integrated into the ROV records images from all available stereoscopic cameras for detailed documentation.
Utilize the ROV’s autonomous navigation capabilities to create 3D models of underwater objects or areas of interest. Using DVL and USBL systems, the ROV can autonomously navigate to capture images and generate a 3D model, which is displayed in near real-time on the surface team’s monitor. The diver can identify missing areas and instruct the ROV to take additional images. This method reduces work time while enhancing the final result quality.
Simultaneously, geographical coordinates of the surveyed area can be extracted and stored along with the images, ensuring precise documentation. At the end of the mission, the photo documentation, geographic coordinates, and 3D reconstruction of the site are available.
Create high-resolution photomosaics using the ROV’s autonomous navigation. During the ROV’s trajectory (e.g., in a circular path or boustrophedon pattern), high-resolution images are stored at each intermediate point. Each image is also recorded with geo-referenced coordinates, ensuring the creation of highly detailed photomosaics.
Τhe ROV «HYDRIA»
The “HYDRIA” ROV is an innovative, low-cost, semi-autonomous ROV developed as part of the u-ArchaeoRoV research project. It has a maximum operational depth of 120 meters and can approach ancient shipwrecks or other underwater sites beyond the effective reach of a human diver or archaeologist.
Key Features of the HYDRIA ROV:
- Robotic Manipulator Arms: Equipped with tactile robotic arms capable of applying controlled pressure for lifting underwater objects and cleaning artifacts upon discovery. These arms offer three-axis mobility, allowing them to reach difficult areas while providing sensitive pressure control, adjustable by the operator.
- Stereoscopic High-Resolution Cameras: Captures high-resolution photos and videos for precise archaeological documentation.
- Adjustable Lighting System: Includes adjustable flash and spotlights at the ends of its robotic arms, allowing the operator to manually or automatically adjust the lighting angle.
The “HYDRIA” ROV, as an innovative and specialized ROV, has been designed to support underwater archaeological field research. It enables diving operations to be carried out with greater safety and helps prevent accidents of all kinds. In addition, the “HYDRIA” ROV can perform effectively in photogrammetric mapping and photographic archaeological documentation, produce real-time video of the seabed’s geomorphology, significantly support communication between the diver and the surface team, safely transport lightweight objects, and accurately record the location of archaeological targets with minimal deviation. Moreover, its compact size compared to other ROVs used in underwater scientific research makes it particularly user-friendly.
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