Lo-MARVE: A Low Cost Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for Marine Exploration
This provides a cost-effective solution for marine exploration and environmental monitoring in shallow waters, though it is incremental as it builds on existing AUV technology with a focus on affordability.
The paper tackled the problem of high costs in underwater exploration by developing Lo-MARVE, a low-cost autonomous underwater vehicle, which was successfully tested in a real-world river environment, demonstrating autonomous navigation and data collection at a cost of approximately EUR 500.
This paper presents Low-cost Marine Autonomous Robotic Vehicle Explorer (Lo-MARVE), a novel autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) designed to provide a low cost solution for underwater exploration and environmental monitoring in shallow water environments. Lo-MARVE offers a cost-effective alternative to existing AUVs, featuring a modular design, low-cost sensors, and wireless communication capabilities. The total cost of Lo-MARVE is approximately EUR 500. Lo-MARVE is developed using the Raspberry Pi 4B microprocessor, with control software written in Python. The proposed AUV was validated through field testing outside of a laboratory setting, in the freshwater environment of the River Corrib in Galway, Ireland. This demonstrates its ability to navigate autonomously, collect data, and communicate effectively outside of a controlled laboratory setting. The successful deployment of Lo-MARVE in a real-world environment validates its proof of concept.