Identifying Data 2023/24
Subject (*) Autonomous Marine Vehicles Code 730542017
Study programme
Master Universitario Erasmus Mundus en Sostibilidade e Industria 4.0 aplicada ao Sector Marítimo
Descriptors Cycle Period Year Type Credits
Official Master's Degree 2nd four-month period
 First Optional 6
Language
English
Teaching method Face-to-face
Prerequisites
Department Ciencias da Computación e Tecnoloxías da Información
Matemáticas
Coordinador
Orjales Saavedra, Félix
 E-mail
felix.orjales@udc.es
Lecturers
Bellas Bouza, Francisco Javier
Guerreiro Santalla, Sara
Orjales Saavedra, Félix
 E-mail
francisco.bellas@udc.es
sara.guerreiro@udc.es
felix.orjales@udc.es
Web http://http://www.master-seas40.unina.it
General description The main objective of the course is to provide the students with an updated vision of autonomous marine vehicles, both surface and underwater systems. The topics are mainly focused on providing students with the basics of intelligent control systems in marine environments. In addition, it will also provide a technical and regulatory approach to the field of robotics within this scope. In order to obtain these goals, and apart from the theoretical basis, students will work with simulated and real marine vehicles, thus developing the skills needed to tackle the implementation of real autonomous marine robots.

Study programme competencies
Code Study programme competences
A4 CE4 – Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and competences in the field of design and operation of robots and marine autonomous vehicles (RAS).
B2 CB6 - Acquire and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and / or application of ideas, usually in a research context.
B3 CB7 - That students know how to apply the acquired knowledge and their ability to solve problems in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
B4 CB8 - That students are able to integrate knowledge and face the complexity of making judgments based on information that, being incomplete or limited, includes reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
B5 CB9 – That students are able to communicate their conclusions -and the knowledge and ultimate reasons that sustain them- to specialized and non-specialized publics in a clear and unambiguous way.
B6 CB10 - That students have the learning skills that allow them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
B7 CG1 – To display the adequate intercultural competence to successfully navigating within multicultural learning environments and to implement basic management principles suitable for a multicultural working environment.
B8 CG2 – To express an attitude of intellectual inquisitiveness and open-mindedness.
B9 CG3 – To have the capability to use knowledge, skills, ideas, theory, and modern engineering concepts to create new or significantly improved real engineering applications.
B11 CG5 – To have the capability to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems within realistic constraints.
B13 CG7 – To have the capability to critically analyse, synthesise, interpret and summarise complex scientific processes.
C2 CT2 - Mastering oral and written expression in a foreign language.
C3 CT3 - Using ICT in working contexts and lifelong learning.
C4 CT4 - Acting as a respectful citizen according to democratic cultures and human rights and with a gender perspective.
C6 CT6 - Acquiring skills for healthy lifestyles, and healthy habits and routines.
C7 CT7 -Developing the ability to work in interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary teams in order to offer proposals that can contribute to a sustainable environmental, economic, political and social development.

Learning aims
Learning outcomes Study programme competences
Capacity for applying mathematical and ICT methods and tools to define, design, operate and maintain advanced marine robotic systems and for understanding and developing the needed algorithms and methods. BC1
BC2
BC3
BC4
BC5
BC6
BC7
BC10
BC12
 CC2
CC3
CC4
CC6
CC7
Understanding the difference between autonomous and non-autonomous operation in robotics, and how it fits into the Artificial Intelligence field AC4
 BC3
BC5
BC7
BC12
 CC4
Acquiring the knowledge about sensors and actuators relevant in marine vehicles to provide them with autonomous capabilities AC4
 BC1
BC3
BC5
BC7
BC12
 CC4
CC6
CC7
Understanding the fundamentals of autonomous robotic control, and how classical techniques are very important to achieve a proper response. Being able to apply these concepts in navigation tasks AC4
 BC1
BC2
BC3
BC5
BC7
BC12
 CC3
CC4
CC6
CC7
Capacity for using a marine vehicle simulator and programming it, including all the previous knowledge about sensors, actuators and autonomous/classical control. In addition, students must learn how to transfer the simulated control to the real platform AC4
 BC2
BC3
BC5
BC6
BC7
BC8
BC10
BC12
 CC3
CC6
CC7

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
Topic 1. Introduction to autonomous vehicles - Artificial Intelligence
- Autonomous vehicles
- Autonomous underwater vehicles
- Regulatory issues
Topic 2. Sensors and actuators in marine vehicles - Sensors:
-- Sound based (Sonar, DVL, range finders...)
-- Vision and laser based (Cameras, LIDAR...)
-- Inertial Measurement Units (IMU)
-- GNSS and alternative positioning systems
- Actuators:
-- Thrusters and alternative propulsion methods
-- Arms and grippers
Topic 3. Autonomous control - Open loop control
- Closed loop control
- PID
- Intelligent architectures
-- Reactive
-- Deliberative
-- Hybrid
Topic 4. Autonomous navigation - Localization
- Mapping
- Path planning
Topic 5. Programming underwater vehicles - Gazebo simulation model
- Programming framework
- Real underwater vehicle

Planning
Methodologies / tests Competencies Ordinary class hours Student’s personal work hours Total hours
Guest lecture / keynote speech B2 B4 B6 C4 C6 15 3 18
Document analysis A4 B2 B4 B5 B13 C2 C7 3 9 12
Seminar B3 B6 B8 C3 C6 9 9 18
Supervised projects A4 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B11 B13 C2 C3 C7 18 72 90
Mixed objective/subjective test A4 B4 B5 B6 B11 B13 C2 2 8 10
 
Personalized attention 2 0 2
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies Description
Guest lecture / keynote speech Masterclass where teachers explain the theoretical concepts of the topics, and students can ask questions.
Document analysis Methodological technique that involves the use of audiovisual and/or bibliographic documents relevant to the subject matter with activities specifically designed for their analysis. In this case, it will be used in a context of "flipped classroom" in which the theoretical concepts will be reviewed by the students independently prior to the lecture session, in which an activity will be carried out to assess their understanding.
Seminar Workshop carried out at the informatics lab to train students in the tools required to solve de challenge: Python libraries, ROS, Gazebo.
Supervised projects Autonomous work where students must solve some challenge involving programming an autonomous marine vehicle to solve a task. There can be one of incremental complexity or more than one with independent objectives. In this methodology, students will be organised in groups, so they will have to collaborate to achieve the goal.
Mixed objective/subjective test Written or oral examination where students will show their understanding of the theoretical concepts of the subject.

Personalized attention
Methodologies
Supervised projects
Seminar
Document analysis
Description
In the practical workshops (seminars), the teacher will supervise the students' progress and help them with all the issues that could arise.

In the supervised projects, students will have the option of asking their questions and doubts to the teachers while developing their project autonomously.

Document analysis: students will be able to consult lecturers on reference materials prior to the lectures.

Assessment
Methodologies Competencies Description Qualification
Mixed objective/subjective test A4 B4 B5 B6 B11 B13 C2 Students will have to show their knowledge and understanding of the theoretical concepts of the subject by means of a written or oral activity 20
Supervised projects A4 B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B11 B13 C2 C3 C7 One or more projects will be proposed throughout the course focused on solving realistic problems with autonomous marine problems using real and simulated robots. These tasks will be developed autonomously by the student outside the classroom and must be defended in front of the teachers. 70
Document analysis A4 B2 B4 B5 B13 C2 C7 Part of the lectures will be used to evaluate the understanding of the documentary sources, which will be provided by the teachers prior to the class for consultation and understanding. These evaluations will be carried out by means of group work, small reports, questionnaires, or other methodologies that allow an objective assessment of the degree of analysis carried out. 10
 
Assessment comments

In order to obtain a pass in this subject, a minimum mark of 50 must be obtained in all the above methodologies, with a minimum of 35 in the Tutored Work and 15 in the sum of the Subjective Test and Document Analysis. If the student does not pass the subject in the ordinary exam, he/she will have to repeat the necessary activities of the methodology/s that were not passed in the extraordinary exam.

General EMJMD Sustainable Ship and Shipping  SEAS 4.0 evaluation rules:

- Students will have only two oportunities to pass a course. If failing to do so, they may be forced to leave the degree.

- No part time or lecture attendance exemption are allowed in this degree.

In the case of plagiarism in internships or teaching assignments, article 11, section 4 b) of the UDC Student Disciplinary Regulations will be taken into account:

b) Failure grade in the exam session in which the offence is committed and with respect to the subject in which it is committed: the student will be graded with a "fail" (numerical grade 0) in the corresponding exam session of the academic year, whether the offence is committed on the first or second occasion. To this end, the student's grade will be modified at the first opportunity, if necessary.

Sources of information
Basic Geoff Roberts and Robert Sutton (2006). Advances in unmanned marine vehicles. Institution of Engineering and Technology
Thor I. Fossen (2011). Handbook of Marine Craft Hydrodynamics and Motion Control. John Wiley & Sons
Dronekit (2015). https://dronekit-python.readthedocs.io/en/latest/.
Robin R. Murphy (2000). Introduction to AI Robotics. A Bradford Book

Complementary Joseph, Lentin (2015). Learning robotics using Python : design, simulate, program, and prototype an interactive autonomous mobile robot from scratch with the help of Python, ROS, and Open-CV. Packt Publishing


Recommendations
Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before
Regulatory Framework for Maritime Industry 4.0/730542001
Robotics & Underwater Robotics/730542007

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)/730542015
Industry 4.0 Enabling Technologies/730542010

Subjects that continue the syllabus

Other comments

-According to the different regulations applicable to university teaching, the gender perspective must be incorporated into this subject.

-Work will be done to identify and modify sexist prejudices and attitudes and influence the environment to modify them and promote values of respect and equality.

-Situations of gender discrimination should be detected and actions and measures should be proposed to correct them.

To help in achieving a sustainable environment and to get the objective of number 5 action of the "Green Campus Action Plan" (Healthy and environmentaly and socially sustainable research and teaching):

The assignments to be done in this course:

- Will be required in digital format.

- Will be delivered using Moodle, with no need to print them.

In case it is necessary to print them:

- Plastics won´t be used.

- Two side printing will be used.

- Recycled paper will be used.

- Printing drafts will be avoided.

A sustainable use of the resources should be done, together with the prevention of negative impacts on the environment. 


(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.