What is a simple definition of robotics?
robotics, design, construction, and use of machines
(robots) to perform tasks done traditionally by human
beings. Robots are widely used in such industries as
automobile manufacture to perform simple repetitive
tasks, and in industries where work must be performed
in environments hazardous to humans.
How do you explain robotics?
Robotics is a branch of engineering and computer
science that involves the conception, design,
manufacture and operation of robots. The objective of
the robotics field is to create intelligent machines
that can assist humans in a variety of ways.
How does robotics change the maritime industry?
Advanced robotics are improving many industries,
including maritime. Industrial robots are already used
in the security, maintenance and inspection of vessels.
They can do tasks, such as packing, delivering,
inspection and even firefighting.
What are the advantages of using robots in industry?
The advantages of robotics include an inherent
precision and repeatability of operations. This results
in a consistently high-quality finish for every
product. Robots eliminate the problems associated with
tiredness, distraction and the effects of repetitive
and tedious tasks, besides simple human error.
The digital revolution has brought great changes to our
lives: a huge number of online services, devices,
software and, of course, robots have become the drivers
of economic and social development. Modern robotics is
spreading across almost all sectors, including the
maritime industry. In this review, we highlight the
main use cases and trends of robotics in shipping.
Robotics in the marine industry
The key direction of using robots is the execution of
situations that are dangerous or potentially hazardous
to human health. For example, the US Maritime
Administration or MARAD has partnered with SEA-KIT to
build robotic vessels for oil refining. The work is
incredibly dangerous for workers who are regularly
exposed to chemicals, toxic fumes and have a constantly
high risk of fire or explosion.
Maintenance prediction of ships is another major issue.
Maintaining a vessel's performance takes a lot of
resources from fuel and oil maintenance to regular
cleanings. A large number of parts and equipment also
need to be serviced or replaced to keep the ship in
good condition. It is important to monitor the
performance of all units of the vessel, whether it is
robotic or not.
Robots are used for many purposes in the maritime
industry, from cleaning and maintenance to fully
autonomous vessels with no pilot, no captain and no
crew on board. SEA-KIT's Maxlimer is a great example of
a fully robotic ship. He can travel autonomously,
accompanied by several small drone boats and
submarines, which he can send to carry out various
tasks. Maxlimer shows just how great the potential for
robotic technology is in shipping, and many maritime
organizations are starting to take notice.
Source: sea-kit.com
Robots for cleaning and maintaining the ship's hull
It is also a task that can be dangerous, challenging,
and tedious. Traditionally, divers perform their work
while the ship is moored in port or docked. The HullBUG
is an example of an underwater hull cleaning robot.
This 30-40 kilogram robot attaches to the bottom of the
boat for surface cleaning and creates a negative
pressure vortex and moves across the boat's surface
using a combination of rotating brushes and water jets
to clean the build-up.
Thus, it is possible to carry out preventive cleaning
to maintain the working capacity of ships without long-
term work hazardous to humans.
The problem of fouling of the ship's hull was also
discussed by us earlier. A brief conclusion: The
overgrown hull has a key effect on fuel consumption,
and therefore on the amount of harmful emissions.
Timely cleaning of the body can reduce fuel costs by up
to 12%!
Robots ship inspectors
MINOAS - Robotic Assisted Marine Inspection System -
and INCAAS - Inspection Capabilities to Improve Ship
Safety - are two European projects of a similar nature.
Bluefin Robotics is working on a HUAV underwater robot
for the US Navy. SmartBot is also working on a ROBOSHIP
robot that can inspect ballast tanks and perform
maintenance underwater.
Huge ships such as Panamax or larger are difficult to
test due to the surface area of the ship, materials and
paint used. Finding cracks, corrosion, and other
serious complications can be difficult, especially
underwater, where it is dark and cloudy. This means
that inspectors have to spend a lot of time on every
meter of the vessel.
A team of students from ETH Zurich and ZHdK has teamed
up with Alstom Inspection Robotics to create a
lightweight and versatile ship inspection robot. The
prototype ship inspector robot, or SIR, has four
magnetic wheels with an overlapping wheelbase, allowing
it to move around the bottom of the ship, even around
I-beams and other obstacles. SIR is not the only robot
being developed for this purpose.
Fire robots on ships
In the event of a fire on a ship, these robots are
capable of performing tasks such as turning valves,
collecting and dragging fire hoses, searching for
survivors, and can withstand temperatures up to 500
degrees Celsius. It also features multimodal sensor
technology for advanced navigation, allowing it to
overcome obstacles and stay upright, even when the sea
is rolling and tilting. Robots can respond to gestures
and commands, and its sensor package includes a camera
and gas sensor. An infrared and UV camera helps him see
through smoke and detect the source of excess heat,
respectively.
The SAFFiR Firefighter Robot, developed by the Naval
Research Laboratory in collaboration with the Virginia
Institute of Technology and other US universities, is
an autonomous humanoid robot capable of detecting and
extinguishing fires aboard a ship and working side by
side with human firefighters using advanced
technology.
Anti-piracy robots
The Recon Scout Throwbot from ReconRobotics is a small
dumbbell-shaped robot that can penetrate the main deck
of a boat for discreet inspections. Magnetic wheels
allow it to crawl to the side of the ship on deck and
maneuver. Cameras allow operators to see what's
happening in real time, even at night, thanks to
infrared sensors. All of this is controlled by a
joystick-based remote control. These developments are
used by the US Navy.
Robotization in the maritime industry can help
accomplish a number of important tasks with greater
efficiency and safety, provided they do not affect
employment opportunities in an industry that is already
bleak in several parts of the world. Advanced robotics
is already impacting maritime operations from the
environmental benefits provided by regular hull
cleaning to safer waters achieved through anti-piracy
measures, the applications are extensive. It just goes
to show that robots are really changing the marine
sector. A healthy balance between robotization and
seafarers' efforts is key to improving the quality and
safety of ship operations for the benefit of the
maritime industry.
Advanced robotics are already influencing maritime
operations. From the green and eco-friendly benefits
offered by regular hull cleanings, to the safer waters
achieved through anti-piracy measures, the applications
are vast.How Robots Are Changing the Maritime Industry
We've come a long way from the machines that powered
the industrial revolution. Much of the industrial
technology at the forefront of the revolution has
advanced considerably. We’ve gone from assembly-line
equipment and repetitive operators to full-on
autonomous robots. It’s not just manufacturing that’s
experiencing the rise of advanced machinery either.
Modern robotics is sweeping across nearly every sector,
including the maritime world.
SEA-KIT’s Maxlimer vessel is the perfect example of how
technology is making waves, literally. It’s a fully
robotic ship that does not need a human support crew.
It can travel autonomously, complete with several small
drone boats and submarines — which it can send out to
complete tasks and retrieve. The Maxlimer is something
to behold, and it shows that the possibilities are
limitless. More importantly, it reveals that the
technology has breached the sector's boundaries, and
many sea-organizations are starting to take notice.
Robotics in the Maritime Industry
Robots are used for many things in the maritime
industry, from cleanup and maintenance to full-on
driverless craft — such as the Maxlimer.
Of particular importance is their use during hazardous
or potentially dangerous situations. By replacing human
laborers with robotics, the operations instantly become
safer and often more streamlined. The U.S. Maritime
Administration or MARAD, for example, has partnered
with SEA-KIT to create robotic oil-cleanup vessels. The
job is incredibly dangerous for human workers, who see
regular exposure to hazardous chemicals, toxic fumes
and a high risk for fire or explosions. Robotics would
be a much safer option.
Marine maintenance is another major concern, something
that is difficult to do even after vessels dock. A
lot goes into keeping a boat healthy, from fuel and oil
service to regular cleanings. A wide variety of parts
and hardware must also be maintained or replaced to
keep a vessel in top shape.
Here are just a few of the other maritime robot
applications:
Hull Cleaning and Maintenance
It’s no secret that the hull or underside of sea
vessels grow remarkably dirty. From barnacles and
similar organisms to scratches and corrosion, nearly
every ship needs regular cleaning to preserve its
longevity.
It’s also a task that can be dangerous, difficult and
tedious. Traditionally, divers will do the work when a
vessel is docked or in port. However, new robotics may
be able to do the job instead. The Robotic Hull Bio-
Inspired Underwater Grooming Tool — called the Hull BUG
— is a small robot that attaches to the underside of a
vessel to clean the surface. It creates a negative
pressure vortex in the space between its belly and the
ship’s hull. Then, the robot moves along the surface of
the boat using a combination of rotary brushes and
water-jets to clean biofilm.
The idea is to carry out proactive grooming to maintain
the efficiency of vessels. Sea Robotics, the company
behind BUG, claims the 5% in fuel efficiency from
regular cleanings will save about $15 billion per year
in fuel costs for the shipping industry. It will also
help reduce 1 billion tons of greenhouse gases that
would be emitted by fleets worldwide.
Ship Inspections
Huge ships such as cargo or shipping vessels are
difficult to inspect because of the surface area of the
boat and its materials and colors. It can be
challenging to detect cracks, corrosion and other
serious complications, especially under the water where
its dark and murky. It means that human inspectors have
to invest considerable time pouring over every inch of
a vessel.
What if it could all be taken care of by advanced
robotics, however? Not just more accurately, but faster
too?
A student team from ETH Zurich and ZHdK has joined up
with Alstom Inspection Robotics to come up with a
lightweight, versatile ship inspections robot. The
prototype — called Ship Inspecting Robot or SIR — can
pour over ballast tanks and hard to reach places on
large vessels. It has four magnetic wheels with an
overlapping wheelbase that allows it to move around the
underbelly of a ship, even around I-beams and other
obstacles. Remote operators control the robot with a
wireless transmitter, which also sends a live video
feed back to the command station. Four infrared sensors
measure distance and detect various obstacles or edges.
SIR is not the only robot being developed for this
purpose, however. MINOAS — the Marine Inspection
Robotic Assistant System — and INCAAS — Inspection
Capabilities for Enhanced Ship Safety — are two
European-based projects of similar nature. Bluefin
Robotics is working on an underwater robot called HUAV
for the U.S. Navy. SmartBot is working on one too,
called ROBOSHIP, which can inspect ballast tanks and
perform maintenance underwater.
Anti-Piracy Measures
Both the Coast Guard and the Navy have a lot to contend
with when it comes to piracy. Of course, it happens all
over the world, not just near the United States'
borders. Not every country can protect against major
piracy, either. Robots could change that.
The Recon Scout Throwbot by ReconRobotics is a small,
dumbbell-shaped robot that can infiltrate the main deck
of a boat for stealth inspections. Magnetic wheels
allow it to crawl up the side of a ship onto the deck
and maneuver around. Cameras enable the operators to
see what’s happening in real-time, even during the
night, thanks to infrared sensors. It’s all controlled
via a joystick-based command unit.
The U.S. Navy recently awarded ReconRobotics a contract
to develop the Recon Scout XT micro-robot for them.
Maritime Is a Robotics Frontier
Advanced robotics are already influencing maritime
operations, hopefully for the better. From the green
and eco-friendly benefits offered by regular hull
cleanings, to the safer waters achieved through anti-
piracy measures, the applications are vast.
We’ve merely scratched the surface in regards to how
robotics apply. The Maxlimer crewless vessel is an
excellent example of the future we’re headed for, with
many similar projects either considered or underway. It
just goes to show that robots truly are changing the
maritime sector.
