3-D Mapping for the Characterization of the Seafloor using an Underwater Robot within the MUMAP Project

The study of marine habitats is a key component for understanding and managing ocean resources. In addition to its intrinsic scientific interest, underwater studies can be used for assessing sites that are important from a conservation point of view, determining areas sensitive to disturbance and pollution, development of coastal and marine protected areas management plans or evaluation of fundamental environmental issues relating to the exploitation of deep-sea mineral and energy resources. In consequence, such studies provide valuable indicators for environment impact assessment and monitoring of environmental changes. Recent technical advances in the field of robotics provide scientists with the right tools to acquire, process, and merge vast amounts of ocean data, making possible the generation of quantitative and qualitative information on marine habitats. However, while several processing tools are available in the market for analysis and interactive 3D visualization of multi-beam sonar data, limitations in image processing techniques and data ingestion to date have greatly restricted the exploitation of optical data to its full potential. Typical imaging surveys gather tens of thousands of images and hours of video that are only inspected visually by end-users but are not put in a geographic context. This paper presents the results of the MUMAP project, aiming at the development of high-resolution seafloor mapping systems for optically monitoring relatively large areas of the ocean floor using an underwater robot. These high-resolution maps have direct applications to environmental studies, oceanography, geology and biology, as well as for the offshore industry.