Mitigation of USV Motions via Wave Sensing and Prediction

Advanced Scientific Concepts, Inc. (ASC) has teamed with the Department of Ocean Engineering at The University of Rhode Island to devise a sensor suite and computer algorithm to predict ocean waves to aid autonomous boat navigation in heavy weather. The centerpiece of the sensor suite is a Lidar designed by ASC that is adapted to image the ocean at glancing angles. It’s ability to acquire a 3D snapshot of an entire scene rather than scan the scene pixel by pixel will provide more accurate data on a wave tossed boat than conventional scanning Lidars. A simple algorithm to predict the waves is suggested for moderately heavy weather which is based on a coxswain’s handling of the situation. In heavily confused seas a simulation of the ocean has been devised.