US Navy contracts RE2 Robotics to join project CLAMS

16th November 2021 - 17:54 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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RE2 Sapien Sea Class is a dual arm system featuring two 6-degree-of-freedom arms. (Photo: RE2 Robotics)

RE2 Robotics joins US Navy effort to develop a control system to improve UUV manipulation capabilities.

RE2 Robotics has announced that it received Phase I SBIR funding from the US Navy to develop a system that enables coupled control of an uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) and robotic manipulator through a single control system.

The Coupled Locomotion and Manipulation System (CLAMS) project will combine the robotic arms’ control system and the UUV control system into one unit, improving coordination of the underwater manipulator and the UUV’s movements.

CLAMS will enable topside operators to control a system’s robotic arms and UUV simultaneously using one control station.

This functions by combining the Company’s newly developed Coupled Remote Link Software (CTRLS) and the System Unification Model (SUM) to enable interoperability between UUV and robotic arm systems.

CTRLS allows the operator to send mission goals to the SUM module located on the vehicle. This maximises speed and efficiency to improve the ease of completing complex, underwater tasks.

In addition to defence applications, CLAMS can be used to conduct routine inspection and maintenance tasks for industries with underwater components, such as the oil industry.

David Lee, director of product management, RE2 Robotics, commented: ‘The goals of CLAMS is to improve control of our RE2 Sapien Sea Class arms mounted on the VideoRay Defender ROV’.