Underwater Environment Simulator for Underwater Robots Based on Distributed Processings in Computer Networks

Abstract

This paper introduces a simulator system essential to the research of underwater robots which are required to have highly reliable and efficient ability of information processing. The universe of the simulation consists of independent worlds which include specific agents such as robots and researchers. The features of the proposed system are as follows : 1) The whole system is operated in real time on the computers distributed in the network including the actual underwater robots. 2) Each agent program in the simulation world is connected to the programs called “managers” which handle the interactions among the agents. 3) Underwater environment is modeled as well as the robot itself. 4) Multi-user simulation is available, so that researchers in remote places can share the same simulation world.With this simulator, for example, the software loaded into a robot can be examined by giving sensor readings in a virtual environment to the actual robot swimming in a testing pool. Since the system continuously provides researchers a virtual underwater environment, they can operate their robots as if they were in the ocean.