IEEE Robotics and Automation Society
Central New England Chapter
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Informal Discussion: 6:00 PM
Program: 6:30 PM
HOW THE NATURE OF THE UNDERWATER ENVIRONMENT
HAS SHAPED THE EVOLUTION OF BLUEFIN AUVS
Presented by
Dr. Christopher M. Wallsmith
Chief Knowledge Officer
Bluefin Robotics Corporation
237 Putnam Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
tel. (617) 715-7000
Bluefin Robotics has been a leader in the development of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) since its inception in 1997. Much of our success has hinged on a particular approach to the difficult problems of real-world robots. Our AUV platforms are modular and reconfigurable, allowing the development of stable components and subsystems while addressing a variety of missions and tasks. Leveraging common solutions for both niche and broader applications has been vital to our evolving array of products.
Bluefin has focused on advancing several key technologies in order to provide successful AUV systems. Autonomy and operator interaction are closely linked and indispensable for a system as complex as an AUV. Bluefin’s use of participatory autonomy and intuitive user interfaces has allowed sailors and other non-engineers the ability to make full use of AUV technology by focusing on the mission rather than the platform.
The underwater environment itself poses additional difficulties. GPS is not available while submerged and AUVs operate within a moving medium, complicating accurate navigation. Communication is necessarily limited while submerged, further complicating the problems of vehicle autonomy and managing operator interaction. Finally, the limitations of current-generation power sources affect both vehicle design and operational scenarios.
SPEAKER'S BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Christopher Wallsmith is an Ocean Engineer who has been developing robotic systems for underwater, surface, land, air, and space applications for over 15 years. He has been a member of the Bluefin Robotics team for the past four years and is currently Bluefin’s Chief Knowledge Officer. Prior to Bluefin, Chris worked at iRobot and the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory. He studied Ocean Engineering at MIT (SB 1991, SM 1994, PhD 1998) and was a member of the MIT Sea Grant AUV Laboratory.
MEETING INFORMATION AND DIRECTIONS
The Central New England Chapter of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society will meet at Bluefin Robotics Corporation, 237 Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, http://www.bluefinrobotics.com/ on Tuesday, Sep. 12, 2006, for an informal discussion at 6:00 PM, the presentation at 6:30 PM and a tour of the Bluefin Robotics Lab at 7:30 PM.
Afterwards, at approx. 8:00 PM, the group will have a no-host dinner at Henrietta's Table in the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (http://www.henriettastable.com/, in the vicinity of Harvard Square, a 15-min walk from Bluefin), where more conversations with the Speaker can take place. The meetings are open to the general public, and all are welcome at the dinner afterwards.
For more information on IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, please contact Chapter Chair Peter Meyer at (781) 334-0052 or chair@robotics-boston.org or visit http://www.robotics-boston.org/