Diver Tracking Using Path Stabilization - the Virtual Diver Experimental Results

The paper presents experimental results for a diver tracking and monitoring controller. The controller utilizes an existing non-linear path following design to ensure safe manoeuvring around the diver. Controller kinematics is derived in the paper and path following is extended with path positioning to allow improved diver observation. Hardware in-the-loop experiments, presented in this paper, analyse the controller behaviour on a fully-actuated underwater vehicle developed at the Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies (LABUST). During experiments the human diver is replaced with a simulated entity referred to as the virtual diver. Experiments isolate and analyse three main parts of the controller: the approach, path following and diver tracking.