Omnidirectional underwater surveying and telepresence

Exploratory dives are traditionally the first step for marine scientists to
acquire information on a previously unknown area of scientific interest. Manned
submersibles have been the platform of choice for such exploration, as they allow
a high level of environmental perception by the scientist on-board, and the ability
to take informed decisions on what to explore next. However, manned submersibles
have extremely high operation costs and provide very limited bottom time. Remotely
operated vehicles (ROVs) can partially address these two issues, but have operational
and cost constraints that restrict their usage.
This paper discusses new capabilities to assist scientists operating lightweight hybrid
remotely operated vehicles (HROV) in exploratory missions of mapping and
surveying. The new capabilities, under development within the Spanish National
project OMNIUS, provide a new layer of autonomy for HROVs by exploring three key
concepts: Omni-directional optical sensing for collaborative immersive exploration,
Proximity safety awareness and Online mapping during mission time.