Underwater robot operation control method and underwater robot

Abstract

The invention provides an operation control method of an underwater robot. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring an underwater image and underwater environment parameters in real time; determining an operation target through the obtained underwater image; driving the underwater robot to enter a preset operation range of the operation target; the operation posture of the underwater robot is adjusted in the operation range in combination with the underwater environment parameters; driving a first operation device and a second operation device to extend to the operation target, and controlling the second operation device to perform operation on the operation area; and adjusting the posture and / or position of the underwater robot, and controlling the first operation equipment to perform secondary operation on the operation area. According to the invention, the operation efficiency of the underwater robot can be improved, the stability and safety of the underwater robot during underwater operation can be enhanced, and the equipment loss can be effectively reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of underwater operation equipment technology, specifically to an underwater robot operation control method and an underwater robot. Background Technology

[0002] Existing underwater robots are widely used in marine exploration, underwater structure maintenance, and underwater pipeline cleaning, capable of operating in underwater environments with their tools. However, the complexity of the underwater environment, such as high pressure, low temperature, low visibility, and complex currents, seabed topography, and biological environments, places higher demands on the sensor performance and operational capabilities of underwater robots. Improper operation can easily lead to rigid collisions between the tools and the surface of the workpiece, causing changes in the robot's attitude and damage to the tools. Furthermore, when performing secondary operations on the same work location, current technology requires that after completing one operation, the underwater robot be towed to the surface to change tools before re-entering the water for the second operation, resulting in low efficiency. For example, after using an electric brush to remove rust from a ship's hull, the robot needs to be towed to the surface, the brush removed and replaced with a thickness gauge, and then the robot controlled to navigate to the work area for thickness measurement. This is relatively easy for large work areas, but for smaller work areas, even finding the work area after completing the first operation becomes a problem. In addition, in existing methods, the installed tools are usually fixed and cannot be adjusted in direction, which limits the flexibility and efficiency of the operation.

[0003] Therefore, in order to overcome the above challenges, it is necessary to develop a technology that can stabilize the robot's posture during operation, avoid damage to the operating tools, and improve the efficiency of operation in areas that require secondary or multiple operations. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this application is to provide an underwater robot and its operation control method, as well as a readable storage medium. This solution addresses the problems in existing technologies, such as unstable robot posture, easily damaged operating tools, low operating efficiency, and fixed installation of operating tools that prevents directional adjustment, when operating in underwater environments. It enables stable control of the robot's posture in complex underwater environments, reduces damage to operating tools, improves the efficiency of performing secondary or multiple operations at the same work location, and enhances the flexibility and adaptability of operations through rapid tool replacement and directional adjustment.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an operation control method for an underwater robot, characterized in that the method includes:

[0006] Real-time acquisition of underwater images and underwater environmental parameters;

[0007] The operational target is determined by the acquired underwater images;

[0008] Drive the underwater robot into the preset working area of ​​the target;

[0009] Within the operating range, the underwater robot's operating posture is adjusted in conjunction with the underwater environmental parameters;

[0010] Drive the first and second working devices to extend onto the working target, and control the second working device to perform work on the working area;

[0011] The attitude and / or position of the underwater robot are adjusted to control the first working device to perform secondary operations in the working area.

[0012] Furthermore, the step of adjusting the underwater robot's operating posture within the operating range in conjunction with the underwater environmental parameters includes:

[0013] Control the underwater robot to hover within the operating area;

[0014] The optimal anti-current posture of the underwater robot is calculated based on the underwater environment parameters.

[0015] The underwater robot's hovering posture is adjusted according to the optimal anti-current posture.

[0016] Furthermore, the step of adjusting the attitude and / or position of the underwater robot and controlling the first working device to perform secondary operations on the working area includes:

[0017] After the second working device completes its operation, the first and second working devices are recycled.

[0018] Control the underwater robot to flip over, and control the underwater robot to hover when the first working device is facing the working area;

[0019] Control the first working equipment to extend to the working area to perform secondary operations.

[0020] Optionally, the step of adjusting the attitude and / or position of the underwater robot and controlling the first working device to perform secondary operations on the working area includes:

[0021] After the second working device completes its operation, the first and second working devices are recycled.

[0022] The underwater robot is controlled to move according to the working posture, and the underwater robot is controlled to hover when the first working device is facing the working area;

[0023] Control the first working equipment to extend to the working area to perform secondary operations.

[0024] Furthermore, the step of driving the underwater robot into a pre-defined operating range for the target includes:

[0025] Real-time detection of the distance between the underwater robot and the target;

[0026] Determine whether the interval distance is less than a preset distance; the preset distance is less than or equal to the farthest distance that the first and second working devices can reach relative to the underwater robot when fully extended.

[0027] When the interval distance is less than the preset distance, it is confirmed that the underwater robot has entered the working range.

[0028] Furthermore, in the step of driving the first working device and the second working device to extend towards the working target and controlling the second working device to perform work on the working area, after driving the first working device to act on the working target, the second working device is then driven to extend towards the working target.

[0029] Furthermore, prior to the step of acquiring underwater images and underwater environmental parameters in real time, the method further includes:

[0030] When a change in perspective is confirmed, the orientation of the first and second working devices is adjusted.

[0031] Furthermore, the step of adjusting the orientation of the first working device and the second working device when the viewpoint is confirmed to have changed includes:

[0032] When the underwater robot's field of view changes, the duration of the change in field of view is recorded;

[0033] When the duration of the hold exceeds the set time, it is confirmed that the perspective of the underwater robot has switched.

[0034] The orientation of the first and second working devices is adjusted according to the viewpoint of the underwater robot after the switch, so that the orientation of the first and second working devices is consistent with the orientation of the viewpoint after the switch.

[0035] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides an underwater robot for performing the above-described operation control method. The underwater robot includes: at least one first operating device with a telescopic structure, at least one second operating device with a telescopic structure, at least one camera device, at least one detection device, and a thruster system; the thruster system includes multiple thrusters.

[0036] Furthermore, the underwater robot also includes: a steering device for adjusting the orientation of the first working device and the second working device; the first working device and the second working device are respectively connected to the steering device.

[0037] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: Unlike existing technologies, the underwater robot operation control method provided in this application firstly adjusts the underwater robot's operating posture within its operating range by combining real-time acquired underwater environmental parameters. This reduces the impact of factors such as water flow during operation, greatly increasing the underwater robot's ability to adapt to complex underwater environments and enhancing its operational stability. Secondly, by controlling the first and second operating devices to gradually extend and contact the target during operation, rigid collisions between the devices and the target are avoided, improving the underwater robot's operational safety while effectively reducing wear and tear. Thirdly, by separately controlling the first and second operating devices to operate within the work area, the underwater robot can complete multiple types of tasks in a single underwater operation, improving its operational efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an underwater robot provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the underwater robot operation control method provided by the present invention;

[0041] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating step S300;

[0042] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating step S400;

[0043] Figure 5 for Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of step S600;

[0044] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating another embodiment of step S600;

[0045] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the underwater robot operation control method provided by the present invention;

[0046] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A flowchart of step S100'.

[0047] The reference numerals used in the above figures are explained as follows:

[0048] 10 Underwater Robots

[0049] 11 First operating equipment

[0050] 110 First Work Tool

[0051] 111 First telescopic structure

[0052] 12 Second operating equipment

[0053] 120 Second Operation Tool

[0054] 121 Second telescopic structure

[0055] 13 Camera devices

[0056] 14. Detection device

[0057] 15. Thruster System

[0058] 16 Control Unit Detailed Implementation

[0059] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that the following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the application. Similarly, the following embodiments are only some, not all, embodiments of the present application, and all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0060] The terms "first," "second," and "third" in this application are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. All directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationships and movements between components in a specific orientation (as shown in the figures). If the specific orientation changes, the directional indications also change accordingly. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. A process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0061] In this document, the term "implementation" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an implementation may be included in at least one implementation of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same implementation, nor is it a separate or alternative implementation mutually exclusive with other implementations. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the implementations described herein can be combined with other implementations.

[0062] Please see Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an underwater robot provided by the present invention. Specifically, the underwater robot 10 is equipped with at least one first working device 11 with a telescopic structure, at least one second working device 12 with a telescopic structure, at least one camera device 13, a detection device 14, and a thruster system 15.

[0063] Both the first working device 11 and the second working device 12 have telescopic structures, enabling them to extend or retract within a certain range in response to corresponding control commands. This allows the underwater robot 10 to perform various types of operations without leaving the work area, thereby improving work efficiency. In this embodiment, when the underwater robot 10 is in operation, the orientation of the first working device 11 and the second working device 12 should be parallel to the viewing angle of the target camera device 13.

[0064] Specifically, the first working device 11 consists of a first working tool 110 and a first telescopic structure 111, wherein the first working tool 110 is mounted on the first telescopic structure 111. In this embodiment, the first working device 11 is a thickness gauge for measuring the thickness of an object. The first telescopic structure 111 extends the thickness gauge for measurement when needed according to control commands, and can retract it after the measurement is completed.

[0065] The second working device 12 consists of a second working tool 120 and a second telescopic structure 121. In one embodiment, the second working tool 120 is mounted on the second telescopic structure 121. In this embodiment, the second working device 12 is an electric brush for cleaning object surfaces, which can be used to remove rust from the surface of a ship's hull. The second telescopic structure 121 extends the electric brush as needed to perform cleaning operations according to control commands, and retracts it after the cleaning operation is completed.

[0066] In one specific embodiment, the underwater robot 10 is equipped with a camera device 13, which is located at the front end or a specific position of the underwater robot 10 to capture the field of view in front of or in a specific direction. A first working device 11 (thickness gauge) and a second working device 12 (brush) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the camera device 13. This arrangement allows the underwater robot 10 to monitor the work area via the camera device 13 while simultaneously operating the devices on both sides. The underwater robot 10 is connected to a shore-based operating device via a wired connection. This shore-based operating device can be a remote control with a display screen. The underwater images captured by the camera device 13 can be transmitted via cable to the display screen of the remote control for display by the operator.

[0067] In another embodiment, the underwater robot 10 is equipped with multiple camera devices 13, each located at multiple different specific positions on the underwater robot 10. Each camera device 13 can provide a different angle of view, increasing the underwater robot 10's environmental awareness. The operator can switch between camera devices 13 on a remote control device. When the operator clicks to switch, the display screen of the remote control device will show the underwater images captured by the switched camera device 13.

[0068] The detection device 14 can detect underwater environmental parameters, including but not limited to water temperature, water pressure, water flow velocity, water depth, and water flow direction. It also provides distance measurement functionality. In this embodiment, multiple detection devices are used, such as ultrasonic rangefinders, laser rangefinders, Doppler logs, underwater ultrasonic sensors, gyroscopes, accelerometers, and current meters. The detection device 14 also helps the underwater robot 10 accurately measure its distance to surrounding objects, which is crucial for the underwater robot's navigation, obstacle avoidance, and precise operation.

[0069] Furthermore, the thruster system 15 includes thrusters in multiple directions; the thruster system 15 enables the underwater robot 10 to move in forward and backward, up and down, left and right, and to flip, and also allows the underwater robot 10 to hover at any position underwater. In this embodiment, the thruster system 15 includes two horizontal thrusters and four vector thrusters.

[0070] The control unit 16 is located in the body of the underwater robot 10. It can control the first working device 11, the second working device 12, the camera device 13, the detection device 14 and the thruster system 15 to perform corresponding functions according to the instructions issued by the operator through the remote control device, so as to realize the purpose of the underwater robot 10 to perform the work task. The specific working principle will be explained in detail below.

[0071] In another embodiment, the underwater robot 10 is equipped with multiple camera devices 13. In addition to the aforementioned first working device 11, second working device 12, detection device 14, thruster system 15, and control unit 16, the underwater robot 10 also includes a steering device (not shown) mounted on the underwater robot. The first working device 11 and the second working device 12 are respectively connected to the steering device. The steering device is used to adjust the orientation of the first working device 11 and the second working device 12 according to instructions. After adjustment by the steering device, the first working device 11 and the second working device 12 can simultaneously maintain parallelism with the orientation of any of the camera devices 13. Specifically, the steering device can take the form of a turntable or a support platform equipped with a universal joint, etc. As described above, the underwater robot provided by this invention is equipped with multiple working devices (such as brushes and thickness gauges), reducing the time required to pull the underwater robot to the surface for reassembly due to tool changes. This allows the underwater robot to complete multiple tasks in a single underwater operation, significantly improving work efficiency. The use of a remote control device for switching camera perspectives and selecting the work area improves the accuracy of work area selection. Simultaneously, the control unit precisely adjusts the angles of the working devices to ensure they are parallel to the main viewpoint, thus guaranteeing the underwater robot's operational accuracy. Furthermore, since the working devices all have telescopic structures, the control unit can reasonably control the extension and retraction of the working devices, avoiding damage caused by rigid contact.

[0072] Please see Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the underwater robot operation control method provided by the present invention. The operation control method is applied to the aforementioned underwater robot and includes the following steps:

[0073] S100: Real-time acquisition of underwater images and underwater environmental parameters;

[0074] Specifically, underwater images are acquired through camera device 13, and underwater environmental parameters are acquired through detection device 14.

[0075] S200: Determine the operational target based on the acquired underwater images;

[0076] In this embodiment, the underwater robot communicates with a remote control device located on shore via a wired connection. The remote control device may be equipped with control buttons, a joystick, a display unit, etc., for remotely controlling the underwater robot. Specifically, after the camera device captures underwater images, it can transmit the captured underwater image data to the remote control device on shore via a cable connected to the underwater robot. The operator can view the underwater images through the display unit on the remote control device and manually select a target through the user interface; the selected target can be represented as an area. In one embodiment, after the operator selects a target on the remote control device, the camera device can also lock onto the target, keeping it in the center position on the remote control device's display unit.

[0077] S300 drives the underwater robot into the preset working range of the target.

[0078] This step mainly demonstrates that after the underwater robot enters the operating area, the first and second operating devices installed on the underwater robot are capable of performing operations.

[0079] After the target is confirmed, the operator controls the underwater robot to move towards it via remote control. During this movement, the robot's posture may change. In this embodiment, the camera on the underwater robot will always lock onto the target. In other embodiments, after target confirmation, the underwater robot can also be automatically driven to move towards the target.

[0080] Please combine them together Figure 3 , Figure 3 for Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating step S300; step S300 includes:

[0081] S310, Real-time detection of the distance between the underwater robot and the target;

[0082] In this embodiment, the distance between the underwater robot and the target is detected by a detection device mounted on the underwater robot. Preferably, the detection device can be a laser rangefinder or an ultrasonic rangefinder.

[0083] S320. Determine whether the interval distance is less than the preset distance; if yes, proceed to step S330; otherwise, proceed to step S340.

[0084] It is understandable that underwater robots can operate within a certain range. When the target is within this range, the underwater robot's operational conditions are met. In this embodiment, the operational conditions of the underwater robot are defined by comparing the measured distance between the underwater robot and the target with a preset distance. Specifically, the preset distance should be less than or equal to the maximum travel distance that the first and second working devices can reach relative to the underwater robot when fully extended.

[0085] S330, Confirm that the underwater robot has entered the operating area;

[0086] When an underwater robot enters the work area, it means that the first and second working devices, after being extended, can reach the work target.

[0087] S340, Control the underwater robot to continue moving towards the target and return to step S310.

[0088] S400: Adjust the underwater robot's working posture within the operating range based on underwater environmental parameters;

[0089] In this embodiment, after the underwater robot enters the operating range, in order to further enhance the stability of the underwater robot when operating in the underwater environment, it is necessary to adjust the underwater robot's operating posture to make it have better resistance to current.

[0090] Please refer to the following: Figure 4 ,for Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating step S400; step S400 includes:

[0091] S410: Control the underwater robot to hover within the operating range;

[0092] Once the operator guides the underwater robot into the work area, a notification will appear on the remote control device's display unit indicating that the robot has entered the work area. The operator can then use the real-time monitoring of the distance between the underwater robot and the target, and, while avoiding collisions, control the robot to hover at any point within the work area, ensuring a relative distance between them.

[0093] S420. Calculate the optimal anti-current posture of the underwater robot based on underwater environmental parameters;

[0094] The underwater robot acquires real-time underwater environmental data (such as water flow direction and speed) through detection devices, and uses control algorithms (such as PID control, fuzzy control, or adaptive control) to calculate the posture that is least affected by external fluid forces in the current state.

[0095] S430. Adjust the underwater robot's hovering attitude according to the optimal anti-current attitude.

[0096] Specifically, the attitude adjustment command can be issued by the operator through a remote control device, and the adjusted hovering attitude is the underwater robot's working attitude.

[0097] In one embodiment, the underwater robot's attitude can be pre-adjusted based on underwater environmental data before it enters the work area, and then the underwater robot can be controlled to hover after entering the work area.

[0098] S500: In the working posture, drive the first working device and the second working device to gradually extend to the working target, and control the second working device to perform work in the working area;

[0099] In this embodiment, the driving of the first and second working devices is sequential; that is, the first working device is driven to act on the target before the second working device is driven to extend towards the target. Once the first working device acts on the target, it provides support for the underwater robot, maintaining relative stability between the robot and the target. Furthermore, the extension speed of both the first and second working devices is controllable, ensuring a smooth extension process. After contacting the target, the first and second working devices will either stop extending further or provide a reverse elastic buffer, thus preventing damage to either device. In some embodiments, the first and second working devices can also be driven simultaneously towards the target; that is, the driving method for the first and second working devices in this step can be synchronous or asynchronous.

[0100] In one specific embodiment, the first working device is a thickness gauge capable of measuring the thickness of a ship's hull, and a buffer and a magnetic component are provided on the thickness gauge. When the thickness gauge extends and contacts the target (e.g., the surface of the ship's hull), the buffer can largely offset the impact force generated when the thickness gauge contacts the ship's hull, and the magnetic component can attract the thickness gauge to the ship's hull, allowing the underwater robot and the ship to maintain a stable connection. The second working device is an electric brush for removing rust from the surface of the ship's hull. Since the underwater robot is relatively stable to the ship's hull due to the attraction of the magnetic component on the thickness gauge, the force generated when the electric brush rotates will not have a significant impact on the underwater robot's attitude.

[0101] S600: Adjust the attitude and / or position of the underwater robot, and control the first working device to perform secondary operations in the working area.

[0102] This step enables the underwater robot to perform at least two tasks during a single dive, effectively improving its operational efficiency.

[0103] Please see Figure 5 ,for Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of step S600; step S600 includes:

[0104] S610. After the second working equipment has completed its operation, the first and second working equipment shall be recycled.

[0105] To avoid collisions between the first and second working devices in their extended states during attitude adjustments by the underwater robot, and to prevent damage to the equipment, the first and second working devices are retrieved to their initial or standby positions after the second device completes its work.

[0106] S620: Control the underwater robot to flip over; when the first working equipment is facing the working area, control the underwater robot to hover.

[0107] In one embodiment, the first operating device and the enemy operating device are symmetrically arranged around the camera device. Since the underwater robot has multi-posture motion capability under the action of the thruster system, it can be controlled to roll 180 degrees on the spot, so that the first operating device can face the working area completed by the second operating device, and perform hovering control on the rolled underwater robot.

[0108] S630: Control the first working equipment to extend to the working area for secondary operations.

[0109] In this step, secondary operations on the work area can be achieved by simply driving the first working device to extend into the work area. Alternatively, a synchronous or asynchronous driving method similar to step S500 can be used, that is, driving the first and second working devices to extend simultaneously, or driving the second working device to extend first and then driving the first working device to extend, to achieve secondary operations on the work area.

[0110] Please see Figure 6 ,for Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating another embodiment of step S600; step S600 includes:

[0111] S610' After the second working equipment completes its work, the first and second working equipment are recycled;

[0112] This step and Figure 4 The steps in step S610 are the same and will not be described in detail here.

[0113] S620': Control the underwater robot to move according to the working posture, and control the underwater robot to hover when the first working equipment is facing the working area;

[0114] Because the first and second working devices may be asymmetrically positioned relative to the camera device, or there may be multiple first and second working devices, the underwater robot needs to be repositioned. During the repositioning process, the underwater robot maintains optimal current resistance. Compared to step S620, in this step, the underwater robot aligns the first working device with the work area by adjusting its position relative to the target in the left-right, up-down, or vector direction, and then performs hovering control on the repositioned underwater robot. It is understood that this step is also applicable when the first and second working devices are symmetrically positioned relative to the camera device.

[0115] S630': Control the first working equipment to extend to the working area to perform secondary operations.

[0116] This step and Figure 4 The steps in S630 are the same and will not be described in detail here.

[0117] In a specific embodiment, the underwater robot is equipped with a thickness gauge for measuring the hull thickness and an electric brush for removing rust from the hull surface. The first working device is the thickness gauge, and the second working device is the electric brush. The thickness gauge and the electric brush are symmetrically arranged relative to the camera on the underwater robot. After the electric brush removes rust from the hull surface in step S500, the thickness gauge and the electric brush are retracted. Then, the thickness gauge can be directed towards the hull after rust removal by either rotating the underwater robot 180 degrees from its current position or translating it while maintaining an anti-current state. The thickness gauge is then driven to contact the rust-removed hull area to measure the thickness.

[0118] Please see Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the underwater robot operation control method provided by the present invention. The operation control method is applied to the aforementioned underwater robot and includes the following steps:

[0119] S100' When the viewpoint is confirmed to have changed, the orientation of the first and second working devices is adjusted.

[0120] The purpose of this step is to demonstrate the operational method after the perspective switch, which is applicable to situations where the underwater robot is equipped with multiple camera devices. The operator can switch the perspective of each camera device via a remote control. In this case, the situation can be resolved by adjusting the orientation of the first and second working devices relative to the underwater robot, thus avoiding situations where operation is impossible due to perspective switching.

[0121] Please see Figure 8 ,for Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating step S100'. Step S100' includes:

[0122] S110' Record the duration of the change in the underwater robot's field of view.

[0123] This step records the duration of the change in perspective, serving as a prerequisite for operators to initiate perspective switching.

[0124] S120' When the duration exceeds the set time, confirm that the underwater robot's perspective has switched;

[0125] In this embodiment, when the perspective changes, due to the possibility of operator error, the orientation of the first and second working devices will not be adjusted immediately. Instead, the perspective is determined by comparing the duration of the change in perspective recorded in step S110' with the preset duration. When the duration of the change in perspective exceeds the preset time, it can be determined that the perspective change is the actual operation requirement of the operator.

[0126] S130' Adjust the orientation of the first working device and the second working device according to the viewpoint of the underwater robot after switching, so that the orientation of the first working device and the second working device is consistent with the orientation of the viewpoint after switching.

[0127] In one specific embodiment, at least two camera devices are installed on the underwater robot. The operator can switch the first viewpoint via a remote control device and select the work area in the switched image. Since viewpoint switching may be caused by accidental operation, a set time period (e.g., 5 seconds) is set. If there is no repeated viewpoint switching within this time period (i.e., no new camera device switching command is generated) or the work area is selected in the currently displayed user interface, it indicates that the user intends to use this viewpoint as the primary viewpoint. In this case, the angles of the first and second working devices are automatically adjusted via the orientation device so that the orientation of the first and second working devices always remains parallel to the current primary viewpoint orientation. It is understood that in other embodiments, the orientation of the first and second working devices can also be adjusted according to the operator's instructions.

[0128] S200': Real-time acquisition of underwater images and underwater environmental parameters;

[0129] S300' Determine the operational target using the underwater images;

[0130] S400' drives the underwater robot into the preset working range of the target.

[0131] S500' Adjusts the underwater robot's working posture within the operating range based on underwater environmental parameters;

[0132] S600': In the working posture, drive the first working device and the second working device to gradually extend to the working target, and control the second working device to perform work in the working area;

[0133] S700' adjusts the attitude and / or position of the underwater robot and controls the first working device to perform secondary operations in the work area.

[0134] The descriptions of steps S200'-S700' respectively correspond to Figure 2 The contents of steps S100-S600 will not be elaborated here.

[0135] The underwater robot control method provided in this application, compared with existing technologies, adjusts the underwater robot's working posture within its working range by combining real-time acquired underwater environmental parameters. This reduces the impact of factors such as water flow during operation, greatly increasing the underwater robot's ability to adapt to complex underwater environments and enhancing its operational stability. Furthermore, by controlling the first and second working devices to gradually extend and contact the target during operation, rigid collisions between the devices and the target are avoided, improving operational safety and effectively reducing wear and tear. In addition, controlling the first and second working devices separately allows the underwater robot to complete multiple tasks in a single underwater operation, improving operational efficiency. Finally, it is also compatible with underwater robots equipped with multiple cameras, enabling true first-person perspective control by adjusting the orientation of the first and second working devices, fully meeting the practical operational needs in underwater environments.

[0136] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, which may include: read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), disk or optical disk, etc.

[0137] The above description is only a partial embodiment of this application and does not limit the scope of protection of this application. Any equivalent device or equivalent process transformation made based on the content of this application specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of this application.

Claims

1. A work control method of an underwater robot, characterized by, The method comprises: real-time acquisition of underwater images and underwater environment parameters; determination of a work target through the acquired underwater images; driving the underwater robot into a preset work range relative to the work target; adjustment of the work posture of the underwater robot in the work range in combination with the underwater environment parameters; gradual extension of a first work device and a second work device to the work target in the work posture, and control of the second work device to work on a work area; adjustment of the posture and / or position of the underwater robot, and control of the first work device to work on the work area again.

2. The job control method according to claim 1, characterized by, The step of adjusting the work posture of the underwater robot in the work range in combination with the underwater environment parameters comprises: hovering of the underwater robot in the work range; calculation of an optimal anti-flow posture of the underwater robot according to the underwater environment parameters; adjustment of the hovering posture of the underwater robot according to the optimal anti-flow posture.

3. The job control method according to claim 1, characterized by, The step of adjusting the posture and / or position of the underwater robot, and control of the first work device to work on the work area again comprises: after the work of the second work device is completed, the first work device and the second work device are retracted; control of the underwater robot to flip over, and control of the underwater robot to hover when the first work device faces the work area; control of the first work device to extend to the work area to work again.

4. The job control method according to claim 1, characterized by, The step of adjusting the posture and / or position of the underwater robot, and control of the first work device to work on the work area again comprises: after the work of the second work device is completed, the first work device and the second work device are retracted; control of the underwater robot to move according to the work posture, and control of the underwater robot to hover when the first work device faces the work area; control of the first work device to extend to the work area to work again.

5. The job control method according to claim 1, characterized by, The step of driving the underwater robot into a preset work range relative to the work target comprises: real-time detection of the interval distance between the underwater robot and the work target; determination of whether the interval distance is less than a preset distance; the preset distance is less than or equal to the farthest distance that the first work device and the second work device can reach relative to the underwater robot when fully extended; when the interval distance is less than the preset distance, it is determined that the underwater robot enters the work range.

6. The job control method according to claim 1, characterized by, In the step of driving the first work device and the second work device to extend to the work target in the direction of the work target, and controlling the second work device to work on a work area, the second work device is driven to extend to the work target after the first work device is driven to act on the work target.

7. The job control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by, Before the step of real-time acquisition of underwater images and underwater environment parameters, the method further comprises: adjustment of the orientation of the first work device and the second work device when it is determined that the viewing angle is switched.

8. The job control method according to claim 7, characterized by, The step of adjusting the orientations of the first working device and the second working device when the view angle of the underwater robot is switched comprises: recording the holding time after the view angle of the underwater robot is changed; confirming that the view angle of the underwater robot is switched when the holding time is greater than a set time; adjusting the orientations of the first working device and the second working device according to the view angle of the underwater robot after the switch, so that the orientations of the first working device and the second working device are consistent with the view angle after the switch.

9. An underwater robot, characterized in that, The underwater robot comprises at least one first working device with a telescopic structure, at least one second working device with a telescopic structure, at least one camera, at least one detection device, and a thruster system; the thruster system comprises a plurality of thrusters.

10. The underwater robot of claim 9, wherein, Further comprising: a steering device for driving the first working device and the second working device to adjust the orientations; the first working device and the second working device are respectively connected to the steering device.

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