Design and development of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) with fuzzy logic based controller

• Main Author: David, Kanny Krizzy Abulad
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2013
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/4355
• Institution: De La Salle University

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have become an integral part in helping humans do underwater explorations more efficiently and safely since these vehicles can stay underwater so much longer than any human can possibly do and they require little or almost no human interaction. These vehicles are commonly subject to unpredictable nature of the underwater environment causing problems in their navigation. This research aims to develop and design an underwater vehicle capable of navigating autonomously underwater. This vehicle is equipped with sensors such as ultrasonic sensors, accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer which are used to detect obstacles along the path of the vehicle and correct the vehicles heading. The intelligence of the AUV includes a two fuzzy logic block, namely Motion Control block and Heading Correction block. The fuzzy logic controller takes in target positions in X, Y and Z axes. Also, the heading error and rate of heading error are included as inputs in order to correct the bearing or direction of the vehicle. A heuristic and integration stage is also included after these fuzzy logic blocks for vehicles collision avoidance. The controller output parameters are the adjusted thrusters speeds which dictate the six thrusters speed and direction. With the proper output commands from this controller, the vehicle will be able to navigate in its predefined destination.