Professional undersea pilot training system

ROVsim Pro reflects a quantum level increase in sophistication and features specifically designed to meet the growing needs of ROV and undersea education professionals.  After listening to feedback from users in the field, Marine Simulation LLC created an application designed from the ground up to be both flexible and modular.

ROVsim Pro can be delivered in a wide variety of configurations to meet your organization's current needs and then later be upgraded as your future needs may require.  By modularizing the design and separating the program into distinct applications communicating over a simple network, ROVsim Pro can be used in virtually any training environment.  Thanks to this new design, multiple ROV's operating in the same mission, multiple SONARS operating from a single ROV, or a single instructor simultaneously monitoring a group of vehicles are now possible with ROVsim Pro.

A complete ROVsim Pro system consists of three main applications:  the ROV Pilot Application, Instructor Module and dedicated Sonar Module.

ROV Pilot Application

This application displays the primary ROV video monitor in a realistically designed single window.  All operator controls are supported either externally through a custom hand controller or through standard input devices and a bottom screen control panel.  ROVsim Pro supports up to 8 separate user configurable analog and 20 digital inputs so virtually any external USB device and most ROV control boxes can be adapted to work with it.  With just a few clicks, the video overlay as well as physical and dynamic operating characteristics of the vehicle can be changed to simulate a wide range of observation class ROVs.  And with just a few more clicks, the environment can be changed from clear and tranquil to zero visibility with dangerous currents.  No other ROV simulator on the market offers this much flexibility at this price point.

Main Mission Menu

After ROVsim Pro is launched, a splash screen momentarily appears followed by the Main Menu.  From the Main Menu you can launch a Preset Mission, launch or edit a Custom Mission, change Mission Settings or launch the Help facility.

The Preset Missions panel allows you to select and launch  a pre-configured mission.  You may upgrade your ROVsim Pro installation by ordering additional missions.  To launch a mission, simply click on a mission name in the scroll window and then click on the “Launch” button.

ROVsim Pro puts control of virtually every facet of the simulation in your hands.  You can adjust the ROV's physics and dynamics, change the video overlay, enable options such as auto-focus, and adjust the environment.  ROVsim Pro also includes a comprehensive help system that may be launched at any time.

ROV Designer

The ROVsim Pro mission controls are separated into two panels:  the ROV Designer and Settings.

ROV Dynamics are adjusted by moving the horizontal sliders left or right.  By using these adjustments you can use ROVsim Pro to simulate a wide range of vehicle and thruster arrangements.   Thrust adjusts vehicle forward  or reverse power.  Lthrust adjusts vehicle sideways power left or right.  Vthrust adjusts vehicle power up and down.  Rthrust adjusts vehicle power, rotating left or right.  When the exact thruster characteristics of a vehicle are not known, a good starting point is to use the total known thrust for all thrusters in your ROV divided by the number of thrusters and apply that value to all thruster settings equally.  The center window displays a wireframe representation of the physical dimensions of the vehicle in your configuration.

ROV Physical settings adjust the actual vehicle's size, weight and floatation.  Height, Width and Length should be set to the maximum dimensions of your vehicle as provided by the manufacturer.  Weight should be set to whatever the manufacture's published weight is plus any additional payload.  Buoyancy for a neutrally buoyant vehicle should be set to 0.00.  This may be changed to simulate a positively or negatively buoyant vehicle.

Settings

The Environment settings allow you to change the mission Visibility (turbidity), Current Direction, Current Speed and Surge.  Surge simulates the cyclical motion of waves in shallow water.  The Options settings allow you to turn on various optional features.  When Casualties are turned on, ROVsim Pro will simulate various equipment failures in response to hard collisions and excessive pull on the umbilical.  Analog lights should be turned on if your external control box supports light control through a potentiometer.  The Mission Menu may be turned on if an external control box is not used or if you wish to access ROVsim Pro's additional features.  Lastly, Auto Focus can be activated to simulate an auto focusing camera.

The Video Overlay panel allows you to choose from a list of available configurations.  This way ROVsim Pro may be used to simulate a number of manufacturers' systems.  Additional overlay configurations as well as custom configurations may be added.

Instructor remote control module

Running on a separate computer connected to the student's application through a network, the instructor's application displays the student's ROV in its operating environment.  The instructor may change his view of the operating area to any angle or distance he desires.  From a single control panel, current, visibility and casualties are all under his control.  With a few simple clicks, the instructor can disable the student's video camera, simulate a thruster casualty and alter the environment's currents, thus creating a dynamic learning environment with infinite possibilities and challenges.  The instructor's application can also record the mission for later playback and review with the student.

One of the most powerful features of this application is that it be used to control and monitor multiple simultaneous student pilot applications, optimizing instructor productivity while maximizing student hands on time.

Dedicated SONAR Options

A wide variety of SONARs as well as simultaneous multiple SONAR displays are supported.  Once the SONAR application connects to the network it automatically launches whatever mission is currently being run by the pilot application.  Both 2D navigation as well as 3D imaging technology can be simulated and the user interface can be custom configured to simulate nearly any SONAR system currently available.

BlueView Technologies Sonar Module

BlueView Technologies, Inc. recently teamed with Marine Simulation LLC to develop a sonar simulator based on BlueView's line of forward looking multibeam imaging sonars.  The new computer based simulator is designed to be used with ROVsim® Pro, Marine Simulation's flagship undersea ROV simulator and will be offered as an optional module later this quarter.  With the addition of BlueView’s imaging sonar, ROV pilots can now quickly learn how to navigate in low visibility conditions using the sonar’s real-time feedback.  This technique of “flying-by-sonar” can dramatically decrease an ROV’s downtime resulting from poor water conditions.  With over 200 systems installed on inspection and work-class ROV platforms, BlueView sonar are quickly becoming the standard for ROV operations worldwide.  To learn more about BlueView multibeam imaging sonars, visit their website:  http://www.blueviewtech.com

2D Sonar Module

Features:

• Full color 2D sonar
• Works with all ROVsim Pro standard and custom missions
• Range settings 5m to 75m in 5m steps*
• Scan width from 45 degrees to 360 degrees in 15 degree steps*
• Scan direction from 0 to 345 degrees in 15 degree steps*
• User notes can be added to the Sonar display

Custom sonar skins:

• The sonar simulator can be configured to function and look like many popular commercial sonars
• *Range and scan parameters can be customized to match most sonars

Full ROVsim Pro Specifications.

To learn more about ROVsim® Pro or receive a custom quotation, please contact us .