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    Robotics in the Environmental Field
    HydroRobotics.com
    HydroRobotics is a site dedicated to my interest in robotics,environmental science,
    engineering, and oceanography. This is a project site for various projects
    I have or am pursuing in these areas, or, better yet, the fusion of these
    areas. This is the home of H2rObot, an autonomous surface water vehicle
    intended to perform bathymetric mapping.

    There is nothing for sale here (well, yet anyway), it is just a site about aquatic
    robots and ROVs. The intent is to be a home site for my projects
    and interests and to share information with others that may be
    interested in this. So, feel free to look around, download what
    you want and be sure to visit my friendly suppliers and others with
    similar interests listed on the Links page. I am an engineer by trade,
    so this is partly hobby and partly professional. I you have any
    questions or think I might be able to help you, please shoot
    me an email. It is always good to hear from others interested in the subject.
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    Control Systems Electronics and Programming
    Control Electronics & Programming
    One of the many things that fascinate me about robotics is the
    electronics and programming that is combined to form provide the
    control logic for the various robotic applications I develop. Although
    I do use a number of prebuilt modules from various vendors
    (see the Vendors page), much of the control circuitry is hand built with
    boards I have printed. Unfortunately, my “benign tremors” (my doctors term,
    sometimes they seem a bit less than benign to me) more-or-less prevent me from
    building surface mount circuits. I started with FORTRAN (IV, actually) but I
    code in a number of other languages. XOJO is my favorite development tool but,
    since I am migrating away from X86 processors, I really don't use it much any longer,
    most of the new “on board” programming is C, C++, Python, and/or a bit of Java.
    I am also using ROS (Robot Operating System some).

    As you might notice, since my background is also in aquatic biology and mathematical
    ecology, most of the "Bots" apply to aquatic systems, in one way or another. The
    ultimate challenge will be a fully autonomous submersable … We'll see!
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    Mechanics, Construction, & Materials Techniques
    Fabrication
    As a long-time tinkerer, woodworker, etc., one of the most fun
    parts of robotics is designing and building the robots themselves.
    Due to advancing age, retreating eyesight and "benign tremors", my
    constructions may not be as "pretty" as they once may have been, but
    they are generally sturdy and serviceable. I have acquired many new
    construction techniques over the past couple of decades including
    fiberglassing (I can finally do this w/o laminating myself to the part),
    mold making and casting, aluminum/brass/stainless/plastic machining, welding,
    vacuum bagging, and vacuum forming. Can't say I'm particularly good at any
    of it, but then again: "sturdy not purdy"
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    Robotics for Environmental Applications
    Applications
    As an Environmental Engineer, my speciality is mainly environmental
    simulation modeling. When I started,to be a modeler meant also being
    a programmer. I began with FORTRAN (yes, we are the same age). I
    am also very interest and involved in remote sensing. So, robotics offers
    a unique opportunity to develop autonomous methods for environmental
    sensing. As you will see, for (not all) most of the robots/projects the
    objective is data gathering for subsequent simulation models, such as
    bathymetry (sonar depth mapping), magnetometry, tomography, etc.
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Recent Projects
H2rObot v3 Thumb

H2rObot v3

Version 3.0 was used peform Magtenometric Mapping

Johnnie 5 Thumb

Manhole Inspection Tool (Johnnie 5)

This is a "downhole" manhole inspection tool that is a precursor to the pipe crawling/mapping robots.

Pipe Crawler V1 Thumb

Pipe Crawler V1

This is the first propotype to the Pipe Mapping BOT. A pipe crawling LiDAR platform

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