SBIR Phase I: Crab-like Robotic Platforms for Cutting Underwater Structures

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project develops a dexterous, crab-like aquatic robot for underwater construction and decommissioning of structures. With growing efforts to develop sustainable offshore wind energy infrastructure, like wind turbines, new technologies are needed to make the management of this infrastructure safer and more efficient. Existing practices often put human divers at risk in deep, cold, turbid ocean environments while existing aquatic robots or remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) cannot adequately manipulate tools to execute construction and deconstruction work underwater. This project seeks to develop a new class of aquatic robotics that are highly dexterous, inexpensive, and capable of expanding U.S. engineering knowledge and capabilities. This new type of robotic platform is needed by offshore construction and salvage contractors to reduce costs associated with infrastructure management and to improve safety practices. This technology provides underwater robotics capable of supporting the projected growth of marine construction and offshore energy development. This project creates a crab-like robot that utilizes multiple robotic legs to stabilize around a target and deliver a tool, such as an exothermic cutting rod, to the desired target. Inspired by living crabs and their ability to pull inward to grasp a substrate, this new robotic platform will stabilize on a substrate and trace a pre-defined tool path. Using the inward forces of legs combined with adjustable end effectors, the platform will demonstrate easy detachment and secure adhesion to a substrate at different phases of the gait cycle. Novel approaches will be developed to traverse challenging craggy, slippery, and bio-fouled marine structures in order to precisely deliver tools to targets. With legs with more actuated degrees of freedom than the six supports of a Stewart platform, the robot will still be able to stabilize if one leg cannot find purchase during walking motions. The goal in this SBIR Phase I project is to demonstrate a new type of aquatic robots capable of tool stabilization and manipulation at depth. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.