Field Trials of Stereoscopic Video with an Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle

We have developed a flicker-free stereoscopic video system which uses commercial television components. This system has been installed on an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) which is used for service and inspection tasks at a gas production platform 130km off the North-West coast of Western Australia. We report the results of field and laboratory time trials of remote manipulation tasks and also the general experience gained in the field operation of the system. The use of conventional video for manipulation requires the use of special skills and trial and error to make up for the lack of depth perception. The underwater environment also makes conventional video hard to use because it reduces the effectiveness of other depth cues such as shadowing and perspective. Stereoscopic video overcomes these problems by providing the operator with an intuitive sense of the depth relationships of the work-site. Operators report that this reduces frustration and mental effort as well as giving them confidence in their actions. Some of the other advantages which we have observed include the increased ability to see through suspended matter (fine particles) in the water. The system is most useful in manipulative tasks but also useful for general ‘flying’ of the ROV making navigation through the platform easier. Our results indicate that stereoscopic video will be a valuable tool in the operation of remotely operated vehicles in the underwater environment.