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2025, Volume 33,  Issue 5

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2025, 33(5): 743-743. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-ksy
Abstract:
Research Status and Underwater Application Prospects of Flexible Manipulator
DAI Yicheng, XU Yining, ZHANG Yuzhu, JIANG Zhehao, HE Xinyong, YUAN Han, QU Juntian
2025, 33(5): 744-757. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0106
Abstract:
The constrained environments characterized by confined underwater spaces and multiple obstacles significantly limit the operational capabilities of traditional rigid manipulator. Flexible manipulator with slender structural profiles have increasingly become a research focus for completing operational tasks in such special scenarios. This paper systematically reviewed the current state of development in flexible manipulator. It began by summarizing the structural design of such manipulator developed domestically and internationally, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Then, modeling methodologies for these manipulator were discussed, including kinematics modeling based on geometric structures, dynamics modeling that accounts for force, and model-free approaches. Subsequently, this paper reviewed current methods for shape and force sensing in flexible manipulator, primarily focusing on external sensor-based techniques, especially optical and vision-based shape sensing, as well as tactile sensing methods utilizing flexible sensors. Furthermore, recent advances in control strategies for flexible manipulator were elaborated, examining the strengths and limitations of various approaches. Finally, this paper discussed the application potential and typical cases of flexible manipulator in underwater environments and analyzed the problems to be solved for underwater applications, along with prospects for future research directions, which provide a reference for the technical optimization of flexible manipulator and their application in underwater engineering.
Recent Advances in Underwater Flexible Sensors
WANG Tingyu, SHI Keyong, WU Mengwei, TANG Wei
2025, 33(5): 758-768. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0093
Abstract:
With the increasing demand for ocean exploration, underwater flexible sensors have demonstrated significant potential in various underwater applications due to their exceptional compliance and environmental adaptability. In particular, the integration of underwater flexible sensors in complex environments, such as those with high hydrostatic pressure, large strains, and corrosion resistance, plays a crucial role in enhancing the perception capabilities of underwater soft robots, diving equipment, marine exploration devices, and other marine engineering systems. This review summarized the latest advancements in the application of resistance, capacitance, piezoelectric, triboelectric, optical fiber, and electromagnetic sensing mechanisms in underwater environments. By comparing the advantages and challenges of different sensing mechanisms, this review provided a comprehensive overview of their developments in underwater manned systems and soft robots, with a focus on innovative applications in deformation, posture, tactile, and flow field sensing. Furthermore, this review highlighted that overcoming the bottlenecks in adaptability and long-term reliability of underwater flexible sensors requires a focus on the two major application scenarios of proprioception and environmental perception, and paying special attention to multimodal integration, intelligent decoupling, and biomimetic integration technologies. These findings offer new insights and potential solutions for the future development of underwater flexible sensors.
Research Status and Application Prospect of Underwater Soft Gripper
LÜ Yiwei, HU Haozhe, WANG Zeyu, ZENG Xinpei, WU Mingxin, WANG Chen, XIE Guangming
2025, 33(5): 769-779. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0107
Abstract:
With the increasing demand for marine resource development and environmental protection, underwater robots have an urgent need for flexible, safe, and efficient soft grasping technology. This paper described three main actuation design methods for underwater soft grippers: fluid variable pressure drive, cable drive, and smart material drive. Based on this, the research progress of key technologies such as bio-inspired design, stiffness adjustment technology, integration of grasping and perception, and multi-modal grasping was analyzed. Combined with typical application scenarios such as marine waste cleanup, aquatic product fishing, underwater archaeology, and cultural relic protection, as well as biological sample collection, the unique advantages of soft grippers in non-destructive sampling, adaptability to multiple types of objects, and fine operations in the deep sea were analyzed. Finally, the future research directions of underwater soft grippers were prospected, and it is pointed out that efforts should be focused on the research and development of high-performance underwater intelligent materials, the integration of multiple driving methods, and the optimization of energy and control systems, so as to promote the evolution of the gripper towards deep sea and intelligentization and achieve reliable underwater operations in all scenarios.
A Review of Research Progress on Liquid Metal-Driven Underwater Soft Robotics
CAI Yueyao, WANG Shenlong
2025, 33(5): 780-794. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0080
Abstract:
With the rapid advancement of key technologies in soft robotics, liquid metals have emerged as a focus in this field due to their unique properties, including low melting point, high electrical conductivity, superior thermal conductivity, and excellent fluidity. Liquid metals(such as gallium-based alloys) have significantly enhanced their auxiliary application potential in actuation systems through approaches like magnetic reinforcement, electroactive enhancement, and structural optimization. As conductive materials and flexible electrodes, they demonstrate great potential in actuation, sensing, and multi-degree-of-freedom(multi-DOF) motion. This review systematically summarized the functional characteristics, actuation mechanisms, and sensing technologies of liquid metals, with particular emphasis on their current applications and challenges in underwater soft robotics. To date, liquid metal-based actuators have achieved diverse actuation modes, including electrothermal, electrochemical, and magnetic driving mechanisms, while sensors have made breakthroughs in high-sensitivity strain detection, pressure sensing, and multimodal signal monitoring. Nevertheless, the realization of multi-DOF motion in underwater environments still faces technical challenges, such as complex actuation mechanisms, insufficient material stability, and imperfect control systems. Future research needs to further overcome these technical bottlenecks to advance the practical application of liquid metal-driven underwater soft robots.
Design and Application Progress of Biomimetic Seal Whisker Sensors for Underwater Flow Field Sensing
WAN Xingfu, ZHOU Xinyue, WANG Siyuan, WU Mengwei, XU Peng, XU Minyi
2025, 33(5): 795-817. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0102
Abstract:
Marine environment sensing, especially high-precision underwater flow field sensing, is vital for marine resource exploration, autonomous undersea vehicle(AUV) operations, and national defense. However, under low visibility and complex disturbances, conventional optical and acoustic sensing methods face severe limitations in performance and adaptability. Seal whiskers’ undulated geometry suppresses vortex-induced vibrations(VIVs) and enhances signal-to-noise ratio(SNR), while the follicle-sinus complex(FSC) enables sensitive detection of subtle hydrodynamic cues. Biomimetic whisker sensors have emerged as a promising solution to current bottlenecks in sensing technologies. This review systematically summarized recent progress in this field, covering the biological sensing principles of seal whiskers, as well as the design strategies, material choices, and performance optimization of biomimetic sensors based on optical, resistive, capacitive, piezoelectric, and triboelectric mechanisms. Representative applications and effects on fixed and mobile platforms were discussed, followed by an overview of challenges in stability, miniaturization, and signal processing. This work aims to provide a systematic reference and technical support for the theoretical research and engineering practice of biomimetic flow sensing technologies.
Underwater Adaptive End Effector Based on Biomimetic Grasping Mechanism of Soft-Rigid Gripper
ZHONG Shuqiao, SONG Chaoyang, ZHOU Zhiyuan, WAN Fang, LIN Jian
2025, 33(5): 818-825. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0092
Abstract:
The underwater gripper serves as the end effector of underwater unmanned equipment, and its performance directly determines the effectiveness of the mission. Currently, commercial grippers are difficult to simultaneously meet the requirements of high load capacity and high adaptability, and it is hard to balance the dual demands of “non-destructive grasping” and “firm holding”. Inspired by lobster claws, this study proposed a novel biomimetic rigid-soft gripper, the “LobSTER Gripper”. It used a biomimetic reversed structure of soft fingers coated with rigid fingers: The soft fingers with passive compliance provided gentle initial contact, while internal rigid fingers ensured firm holding, enabling phased stiffness adaptation without complex drive control, it can also integrate visuo-tactile sensing at the base of the fingers to achieve precise perception and stable grasping of underwater targets. Experimental verification shows that the gripper achieves a 100% success rate in grasping in the pose disturbance scenario, significantly outperforming the traditional rigid gripper, which has an 80% success rate. The design offers a low-cost, reliable, and easily transferable solution for adaptive underwater grasping with significant engineering application value and promising promotion prospects.
Design and Implementation of a Crab-Like Underwater Robot System
LI Pengji, TIAN Yutao, CHEN Zehan, ZHANG Dapeng
2025, 33(5): 826-835. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0090
Abstract:
To solve the problems of underwater robots being prone to damage and low work efficiency under complex terrains and strong water flow resistance environments, this paper designed an underwater robot with a crab-like structure. The robot adopted a bionic crab configuration and was equipped with anti-displacement crab leg devices. It integrated magnetohydrodynamic propulsion and sacrificial anode inspection devices. These features could reduce the cost of underwater operations and enhance underwater sampling efficiency. The design aims to provide technical support for the entire cycle of oil and gas development, provide guidance and suggestions for the laying, inspection, and maintenance of oil and gas pipelines.
Dynamic Interaction between Frogman’s Lower Limb Posture and Flow Field Environment
ZOU Pengjun, LIN Xinghua, ZHANG Junxia, WANG Hao, WANG Xinting
2025, 33(5): 836-845. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0052
Abstract:
In this paper, the dynamic coupling mechanism between the posture of the lower limbs and the flow field environment in the underwater movement of frogmen was deeply studied. Firstly, by using the fluid-structure coupling simulation method, a numerical model of the frogman’s lower limb dynamics with wearable assistive equipment was constructed, and the reliability of the numerical model was verified by comparing the experimental results with the simulation data. Secondly, based on the validated model, the influence of water flow impact on the posture of the frogman’s lower limbs at different speeds was analyzed, and the rule of joint angles was revealed. Finally, the Pareto optimal solution set of lower limb joint angles at different speeds was obtained based on the NSGA-II multi-objective optimization algorithm, and the drag optimization strategy based on attitude compensation was proposed. The optimization effect was verified through experiments. The results show that at a fixed speed, the lower limb posture experiences three phases: “maximum deformation-reverse adjustment-dynamic equilibrium”. As the speed increases, the stable posture of the lower limb tends to approach the adaptive equilibrium point of the flow field. Within the 1~3 kn speed range, the compensation between the posture stabilization angle and the optimal angle of resistance for the hip, knee, and ankle joints is −0.78°, 2.28°, and −1.05°. In the experimental verification of lower limb posture optimization, the speed is increased by 9.09% compared with the free state. It is demonstrated that by constraining the posture angles of the lower limbs, the underwater movement performance can be improved. This provides a quantitative basis for the closed-loop control of the joint module of the underwater assisted exoskeleton and the overall design of the flow field adaptation.
Extraction Method for Multiple Feature Models of the Magnetic Field from Marine Targets
DONG Hao, ZHANG Yu, QIN Wei, CHEN Shuai
2025, 33(5): 846-855. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0047
Abstract:
Maritime targets cause distortions in the surrounding magnetic field, forming the target’s magnetic field signature. This signature is widely used in target detection and ship stealth. To address the issue of multi-modal feature extraction for the target’s magnetic fields, a magnetic anomaly signal model under an encounter scenario was established based on the magnetic signal generation mechanism. This model analyzed the characteristic differences between different source magnetic fields of the same target. A magnetic feature-based variational mode decomposition(VMD) method was proposed, which optimized the parameters for decomposing the target’s magnetic signal. Based on frequency characteristic differences, it effectively separated the static magnetic field and the shaft-rate magnetic field signal. Actual marine interference signals were collected and combined with simulated target signals to validate the decomposition method. The results show that compared with traditional algorithms, the proposed method achieves signals with a higher signal-to-noise ratio and lower error. Finally, the magnetic field of a ship is measured in practice. By using the measured data, the effectiveness of the proposed decomposition method for extracting marine targets’ multi-modal features otarget features is validated.
Damage Prediction of Reinforced Concrete Slab under Underwater Near-Field Explosion Based on Machine Learning
XUE Zhengchun, Chen Jianyu, SHEN Longhan
2025, 33(5): 856-864. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0059
Abstract:
Reinforced concrete(RC) slabs are typical load-bearing components of underwater structures, and accurately predicting their damage under underwater explosions remains a critical research challenge in protective engineering. Such prediction is essential for structural health monitoring, blast-resistant design, and safety assessment. This study proposed a damage prediction approach that integrated numerical simulation with machine learning. First, a fluid-structure coupling model was established in LS-DYNA software, and the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian(ALE) algorithm was used to simulate the dynamic response and damage range of RC slabs subjected to different explosive charges and stand-off distances. Subsequently, a deep neural network(DNN)-based prediction model was developed, and its accuracy was significantly improved(exceeding 98%) through optimization of the hidden-layer architecture and neuron configuration, effectively avoiding overfitting. Furthermore, a convolutional neural network(CNN) was introduced for automatic recognition of damage images, greatly enhancing the efficiency of damage prediction. The results reveal that the damaged areas of RC slabs exhibit geometric regularity within a certain range. The proposed methodology provides a new perspective for underwater explosion damage assessment and offers valuable guidance for the design of protective engineering structures.
Prediction Method for Buckling of Deep-Water Explosion Cylindrical Shell Based on Random Forest
FU Gaojun, MA Feng, ZHU Wei, JIA Xiyu, WANG Shuang
2025, 33(5): 865-874. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2024-0162
Abstract:
Under deep-water explosion conditions, pressure-resistant structures such as cylindrical shells will have a different failure mode from that in a shallow water environment, namely, instability buckling. In order to study the conditions for the occurrence of instability buckling of cylindrical shells under deep water explosion conditions and predict the buckling state, a numerical simulation model was first established to simulate and analyze the results of the buckling of cylindrical shells under the conditions of different charge amounts, blast distance, and water depths. Based on the simulation results, a random forest model was designed to predict the buckling state. The results show that under the loading conditions of axial explosion in a deep water environment, the prediction model constructed based on the random forest algorithm can effectively predict the unstable state of cylindrical shells under specific structural parameters. The prediction accuracy rates for the two structures reach 93.75% and 87.5%, respectively. The importance of the three characteristics, charge amount, blast distance, and static pressure strength, in influencing the structural state is evaluated. This can provide a reference for the study of the buckling conditions of cylindrical shells.
Method for Obstacle Avoidance Path Planning of Unmanned Surface Vessel Based on Improved Artificial Potential Field Method
ZHANG Yabo, WANG Hongrui, ZHANG Haiyan, XIAO Qiang, LIU Yuxin
2025, 33(5): 875-882. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0030
Abstract:
To solve the problem of local path planning for obstacle avoidance of unmanned surface vessels, an artificial potential field framework was proposed, and a local path planning method for obstacle avoidance based on the dynamic construction of the water surface situation in longitude and latitude coordinates was proposed. Initially, the basic operations in the longitude and latitude coordinate system were sorted out and organized, and then the gravitational and repulsive force functions of the traditional potential function method were derived. The problems existing in the traditional potential function method and its improved methods, such as the difficulty in determining the virtual target point in the project and the inability to accurately predict the trajectory of the controlled object, were expounded. An improved potential function local path planning algorithm relying on the dynamic construction of the water surface situation was designed. Finally, the designed method was verified by simulation and sea trials. The results show that the proposed engineering method for obstacle avoidance path planning can guide the unmanned surface vessel to complete the obstacle avoidance task and has strong reliability and robustness.
Key Technologies of Underwater Wireless Optical Communication for UUV Swarm Applications
ZHU Yunzhou, HU Xujuan, WANG Xiaobo, YANG Yi, ZHANG Jianlei, HE Fengtao
2025, 33(5): 883-890. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0120
Abstract:
Unmanned undersea vehicle(UUV) swarm cooperation is a core capability for future marine operations, highly dependent on stable and efficient underwater communication technology. Underwater wireless optical communication(UWOC), with its high bandwidth and low latency, serves as an ideal solution for medium-to-short-range underwater linking. However, the dynamic alignment and channel fading caused by high-speed UUV motion significantly restrict its practical application. To address these challenges, this study proposed an integrated UWOC system framework aimed at the “communication on the move”(COTM) requirement of UUV swarms. The system employed a cooperative design of wide-angle panoramic high-power transmission and multi-channel diversity high-sensitivity reception, overcoming the technical bottlenecks of link maintenance and stable signal reception under motion conditions. A prototype was developed and experimentally validated. The results show that in water with an attenuation coefficient of approximately 0.54 m−1 over a distance of 15.5 m, the system achieves stable communication at 2 Mbit/s(bit error rate is less than 10−3). Under conditions of 10 m distance, attenuation coefficient of about 0.85 m−1, and UUV speed of 5 kn, the packet loss rate remains below 2%. This work demonstrates the preliminary application of UWOC technology on highly maneuverable multi-degree-of-freedom UUV platforms, providing effective technical support for UUV swarm coordination and high-speed information exchange.
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction Method of Submarine Cables Based on High-Speed ROV Cruising with Multibeam Imaging Sonar
XU Haining, WANG Yong, JING Qiang, DING Tongzhen, YU Fei, SHEN Qingye, CAO Shengzhe
2025, 33(5): 891-897. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0036
Abstract:
Submarine cables, serving as the critical conduits for power transmission for offshore wind farms, are pivotal to the system’s stability. However, due to their complex marine environments, currently, conventional three-dimensional(3D) reconstruction methods for submarine cables are costly and demonstrate poor adaptability in deep-sea environments. Therefore, this paper proposed a 3D reconstruction method for submarine cables based on high-speed remotely operated vehicle(ROV) cruising with multibeam imaging sonar, drawing on the concept of synthetic aperture and simplifying calculations through a spatial carving algorithm. This method comprehensively processed the multiple sonar observation information obtained during the ROV cruising to collectively reflect the spatial occupancy. The simulation test results show that, compared with the mainstream methods, the proposed method not only reduces the cost of submarine cable reconstruction by using conventional multibeam imaging sonar but also achieves higher reconstruction accuracy, demonstrating significant application value and promotion potential.
Adaptive Bilateral Teleoperation Control Design in Task Space with Guaranteed Parameter Estimation
KUANG Rui, JIA Guotao, LUO Xin, LI Yantian, WANG Xian
2025, 33(5): 898-904. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0060
Abstract:
In the framework of task space, adaptive control techniques have been widely applied to bilateral teleoperation systems, aiming at achieving precise synchronization between master and slave underwater vehicle in terms of Cartesian position and velocity. In order to improve the synchronization of teleoperation systems, parameter estimation algorithms have been proposed in several studies to compensate for the effects of unknown dynamics. Nevertheless, designs based on traditional adaptive mechanisms have not yet achieved accurate estimation of the system parameters and therefore cannot fully compensate for the unknown dynamics. This paper proposed an adaptive control strategy for task space teleoperation systems, which innovatively adopted the parameter error as the driving factor for parameter estimation update and then designed a new adaptive law. The theoretical analysis proves that this strategy can achieve the position and velocity synchronization of teleoperation systems in task space and achieve accurate estimation of system parameters at the same time. The convergence performance of parameter estimation is shown through simulation and theoretical analysis to significantly enhance the master-slave synchronization of teleoperation systems. Meanwhile, the effectiveness and superiority of this study are fully verified.
Underwater Acoustic Target Recognition Based on One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network with Attention Mechanism
ZHANG Yufei, ZHAO Mei, HU Changqing, GUO Zheng
2025, 33(5): 905-913. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0053
Abstract:
To address the issues of complex network parameters and high computational costs in deep learning-based underwater acoustic target recognition models, this study proposed a lightweight one-dimensional convolutional neural network with an attention mechanism for underwater acoustic target recognition. First, during the feature extraction stage, spectral, Mel-spectrogram, chroma, spectral contrast, and tonal features were selected and reconstructed into a fused one-dimensional hybrid feature. Next, the hybrid feature was processed by a multi-scale residual convolution(MRC) module to enhance feature representation across different scales. Simultaneously, a convolutional block attention module(CBAM) was introduced to adaptively adjust feature weights through channel and spatial attention modules, improving the model’s focus on critical regions. Experimental results show that the proposed model achieves an average recognition accuracy of 98.58% on the ShipsEar dataset, demonstrating excellent classification performance and significantly reducing computational complexity.
Design and Verification of End Face Bidirectional Self-Sealing Structure
LI Kaifu, GUAN Youliang, JIA Guotao, JIANG Quan, LIU Yunfan, JIAO Peng
2025, 33(5): 914-924. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0020
Abstract:
In order to achieve the bidirectional sealing of the end face of underwater large-caliber hatch covers and solve the problem of the large reaction force of the sealing ring during the closing process, this paper innovatively combined the good self-sealing advantage of the tongue-shaped cross-section and the anti-ejection structure of the dovetail structure and designed five specifications of “high-low tongue” bidirectional self-sealing rings. The stress, deformation, contact pressure, and other simulation analyses of the sealing rings were carried out using Abaqus, and a prototype was trial-produced to conduct internal and external pressure sealing tests, as well as loosening and tightening torque tests. The test results were consistent with the results of finite element analysis. The “high-low tongue” sealing ring could achieve bidirectional self-sealing of the end face under low reaction force. A larger chamfer of the tongue-shaped structure means a higher contact stress value between the sealing ring and the sealing surface and better sealing effect; a smaller difference in the height of the tongue on both sides of the sealing ring indicates a lower height of the middle platform and makes the sealing ring easier to be sucked out. Reducing the maximum height and the middle platform height of the sealing ring can effectively reduce the sealing reaction force and extend the service life of the sealing ring. Based on the test results, the sealing ring is improved and optimized, and a large-caliber sealing ring is trial-produced. After closing and pressing the cover more than a thousand times, it can still achieve self-sealing of internal air pressure, internal water pressure, and external water pressure. The research results provide a reference for the design and application of end face sealing of large underwater pressure-bearing equipment.
Construction of Intelligent Equipment Capability Evaluation System
PENG Jinghui, NI Yuantao, HOU Ping, ZHAO Miao, QU Lintao
2025, 33(5): 925-931. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0063
Abstract:
The development of artificial intelligence promotes the transformation of the form and mode of war, and intelligent equipment has become the protagonist of intelligent war. In order to measure the capability of equipment scientifically, aiming at the shortcomings of the current assessment of intelligent equipment, the research is carried out around the evaluation methods, indicators, elements and systems. Firstly, summarized the evaluation methods of equipment capability, and sorted out the ideas of intelligent equipment evaluation. Secondly, analyzed the capability index of intelligent equipment from the aspects of capability requirements, performance parameters and task capability. Then, refined the intelligent multi-dimensional capability, and given the elements of intelligent equipment capability evaluation. Finally, six standard modules are refined, and a capability evaluation system for intelligent equipment is constructed.
Optimization of the Mission Effectiveness Evaluation Indicator System for Underwater Equipment Systems
ZHANG Zhenhua, WANG Haining, SONG Xiaoxuan, BAI Jun
2025, 33(5): 932-938. doi: 10.11993/j.issn.2096-3920.2025-0046
Abstract:
In view of the effectiveness evaluation problems caused by the high complexity of the underwater equipment system, the strong stage characteristics of tasks, and the dynamically changing battlefield environment, this paper proposed a hierarchical effectiveness evaluation method. By constructing an indicator normalization model for multiple scenarios, a dynamic mapping mechanism of “scenario, indicator, and weight” was established. Redundant indicator were streamlined by combining with the maximum uncorrelated criterion, and the optimization of weights was achieved based on simple geometric calculations and the combination weighting method of maximizing the deviation. Experiments show that this method not only ensures the reasonable and accurate evaluation but also significantly improves the calculation efficiency. It provides data-driven decision support for the system optimization and operational deployment of underwater equipment in mission environments and has reference value.
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