LUST UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB Department of Control &

Computer Engineering
Overview Faculty of Electrical
Laboratory for Underwater
Engineering and Computing
Systems and Technologies

FP7 REGPOT Project

Developing the Croatian Underwater Robotics Research
Potential – CURE

and

Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies

achievements

IUST/IPSIT WORKSHOP,
ZAGREB, 15.04.2010.
Prof. Zoran Vukić
FP7 project CURE http://cure.fer.hr

“Developing the Croatian Underwater Robotics Research Potential”

Acronym: CURE
Project type: FP7 Support Action
Project duration: 36 months (April 1st 2009 – April 1st 2012)
Project coordinator: Z. Vukid
No. of partners: 1 UNIZG-FER
No. of foreign experts from abroad: 5
No. of domestic experts: 5
EC financial support : ~ 949 000 EUR-a
For new equipment: ~300 000 EUR-a
Employment: 5 researchers (one from abroad)
Secondments: total duration of 12 months 2
 Developing the Croatian Underwater Robotics
Research Potential - Abstract (1of 2)
• Aim: reinforcing the Croatian S&T potential in underwater robotics through
a coherent set of measures.
• Measures:
– support and mobilization of human and material resources;
– develop strategic partnerships with well known research centers in EU;
– dissemination of scientific information and research results;
– facilitate communication between UNIZG-FER-LABUST and research
entities having similar scientific interests in EU and also other
stakeholders in the region;
– improve LABUST responses to socio-economic needs of the country and
region especially related to Adriatic Sea.
• Goal: Preparing the ground for R&D integration of the LABUST into FP7
program.
• Integration through:
– R&D proposals,
– scientific cooperation or
– business contacts based on technological innovation.

CURE 3
Abstract (2 of 2)

• CURE will enable

• additional visibility
• impact for running projects in creating and supporting relevant public
relations (PR) so as to facilitate dissemination,
• transfer and exploitation of project results,
• the participation of regional organizations in the EU R&D program.
• Expected impacts are in
• upgrading the RTD capacity and capability i.e. the human potential,
• employment of new researchers and training of research staff,
• improvement of research management,
• strengthening the research infrastructure and the quality of research,
• enabling better integration in the ERA.
• Partnership with research groups in EU should contribute to
regional capacity building and will improve LABUST underwater
robotics research potential.

CURE 4
Focus toward:
• socio-economic needs and mainly toward applications
that are most critical for the Adriatic Sea. These are:
– marine biology/ecology,
– underwater archaeology,
– maritime security and
– offshore industry.

CURE 5
 Collaborators: 5 EU underwater robotics specialists and
5 Croatian mainly from applications’ side

Collaborator no. Collaborator organization name Person in charge Country

1 Instituto Superior Tecnico, Institute for Systems

and Robotics, Dynamical Systems & Ocean Prof.Antonio Pascoal Portugal
Robotics Lab
R
2 The National Research Council, Institute of
intelligent systems for automation (CNR-ISSIA) Massimo Caccia Italy o
b
3 University of Limerick, Department of Electronic
and Computer Engineering
Prof. Daniel Toal
Edin Omerdić Ireland o
4 Polytechnic University of Marche, DIIGA–Dept.
t
Computer,
Engineering
Management & Automation Prof. Giuseppe Conte Italy i
5 University of Zagreb, Faculty of science, c
Department of Marine Biology Prof. Tatjana Bakran-
Petricioli
Croatia
sA
6 Brodarski institut, Zagreb Dušan Kalember Croatia p
Marin Stipanov
7 Institute of research and development of defence Prof. Dario Matika Croatia p
8
systems
Croatian Restoration Institute Krunoslav Zubčić Croatia
l
i
Breaking the surface 2010 (http://bst.fer.hr )
Murter-Kornati, September 27th till October 3rd, 2010.

• A week long field training with four disciplines joined together

in-field for the benefit of all involved (underwater robotics,
marine biology/ecology, underwater archaeology, maritime
security).
• Underwater robotics experts interest is to detect needs of
various users of UST to be able to improve them for their use
• Marine biology/ecology; maritime archaeology and maritime
security experts should be informed about new developments
and possibilities of UST for their advantage in their work
• All could benefit from echange of information from various
fields of interest
• New ideas and possible new cooperation among various
players in the region and broader, could open some new
opportunities and benefits for all involved.
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Kornati national park – our BtS mission sites
Total EC support: 949,049.00 EUR
Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies
- LABUST (Head of laboratory Prof. Z. Vukid)
Established in 2005 with the goals of:
• R & D of underwater systems and technologies
• Education in the domain of navigation, guidance and control of unmanned
marine vessels (surface and underwater),
• Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary cooperation for the purpose of
underwater systems and technologies,
• Promotion of high technology in sustainable development and exploitation of
the sea, sub-sea, rivers, lakes, technical waters, water reservoirs as well as in
maritime security.
• Involving students, experts, researchers and scientists into interdsciplinary
domain of high technology sustainable development in underwater areas.
• Environmental protection, protection of cultural heritage (archaeology, etc.),
preservation of fish and biological variety, protection and security of ports
and waterways using high technology
• Development of UUVs for specific applications

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Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies

FER-ARI
LABUST
Unska 3
Zagreb, Croatia
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LABUST equipment

ROVs

Pro 3 XE GTO

Seamor 300F VideoRay Pro II

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AUV Iver2 (by OceanServer Technoogy)
 Sensors

Minos CTD sonde

(Applied Microsystems)
Micro modem
(Tritech)

LYYN T-38 MicroNav

(Tritech)

Chlorofil
Turbidity,
Fluorescen C6 Optical sonde
DVL
(LinkQuest) Rodamin, ... (Turne r Design)

BlueView DF900/2250 14
LinkQuest Modem UWM2000

Medium Range, Low Power Directional or Omni-

directional Transducer

Near-vertical or horizontal environments

Range: Up to 1500 meters

Depth: Up to 4000 meters

Data Rate: 9600 to 19200 bits/sec

Membership in NoE

LABUST was between 2007 and 2009 the “light

association” member of the EU Network of
Excellence Hybrid Control : Taming Heterogeneity
and Complexity of Networked Embedded Systems
- HYCON (http://www.ist-hycon.org/ )

The objective of the NoE HYCON is establishing a

durable community of leading researchers and
practitioners who develop and apply the hybrid
systems approach to the design of networked
embedded control systems.

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 Cooperation - performed on various topics
of mutual interest:
• Brodarski institute in Zagreb (Croatia),
• University of Zadar (Croatia),
• CNR-ISSIA (Genova, Italy) – Dr. Massimo Caccia¸(CURE), on design of autopilot for
autonomous surface vessels (catamaran) “Charlie” – N. Miškovid (3 months)
• Naval Postgraduate School (Monterey, USA) – Prof. Anthony Healey (Doug Horner)
on a topic of cooperative guidance of autonomous underwater vehicles – M.
Barišid (3 months)
• NATO Undersea Research Centre (LaSpezia, Italy) on MCM project (Dr. Vlado
Đapid) – Đ. Nađ (3 months)
• Instituto Superior Tecnico (Lisbon, Portugal) – Prof. Antonio Pascoal (CURE),
• Universita Politecnica delle Marche (Ancona, Italy) – Prof. Giuseppe Conte (CURE)
and Prof. Silvia Zanoli (Italy-Croatia R&D project)
• University of Limerick (Limerick, Ireland) – Prof. Daniel Toal and Dr. Edin Omerdid
(CURE)
• VideoRay Llc. company(Phoenixville, SAD) – Scott Bentley CEO. R&D of specific
components (such as autotuning heading autopilot). From 2008 to 2010 LABUST
performed a technical support for their University Program Kit – M. Barišid, N.
Miškovid
• University of Maribor (Maribor, Slovenia) – Prof. Boris Tovornik
• University of Rostock (Rostock, Germany) – Prof. Bernhard Lampe and Prof.
Wolfgang Drewelow 17
Cooperation with Brodarski institute
Towing tank 2
Lenght:320,5 m
Width: 5 m
Depth: 3,2 m

Rotating arm tank

Diameter: 32 m
Rotating arm lenght:
12 m
Depth: 2,5 m

Towing tank 1
Lenght: 276,3 m
Width;: 12,5 m
Depth: 6,0 m 18
Missions
(often jointly with Brodarski institute)
• inspection of hydro-power plant dams in Croatia,
Slovenia and Bosnia & Herzegovina (from 2003 on);
• inspection for unexploded ordnance
(port of Gruž-Dubrovnik);
• search and rescue missions;
• missions for marine biology/ecology;
• missions for underwater archaeology

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 LABUST active projects
CURE – Developing Croatian Underwater Robotics Research Potential (FP7 REGPOT
project for 2009-2012) – coordinator: Z. Vukid, UNIZG-FER

Systems and technologies in sub-sea, coastal zone protection and maritime security
(Program by Croatian MZOŠ 2007-2009) – coordinator: Z. Vukid, UNIZG-FER
• RoboMarSec-Underwater Robotics in sub-sea protection and maritime security
(coordinator: Z. Vukid, UNIZG-FER)
• Development and application of nuclear analytical methods (coordinator: J.
Obhođaš, IRB, Zagreb)
• Development of methods for the control of threat material trafficking
(coordinator: D. Matika, IRB-IROS, Zagreb)
• Research of threatened marine habitats in the coastal submerged karst of Croatia
(coordinator: T. Bakran-Petricioli, UNIZG)
• Monitoring and ecology of benthic communities of the Croatian Adriatic
(coordinator: S. Schultz, UNIZAD)
Analysis of new potentialities in the synergic management of different underwater
robotic devices (Italy – Croatia cooperative research project)
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Education
LABUST is:
• R & D laboratory
• Laboratory for education with the goal of forming a critical mass of young
engineers that are acquinted with underwater systems and technologies and that
will continue R & D in the future
In 2010 we are planing finalization of:
• 2 Ph.D. Thesis (N. Miškovid & M. Barišid),
• 8 Master Thesis,
In academic year 2009/2010:
Elective course (at Master degree)
“Guidance and Control of Marine Vessels”
(20 students have been enrolled).

- At the Bachelor Engineering and Master of Engineering study approx. 20 students

elected this area for their specialization.
- At University Fair of the University of Zagreb (between 02-04.04.2009.) group of
students (3rd year study) presented their ROV BubleBee I with great success. See
the web site:.
http://labust.fer.hr/fer2_projekt/
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 http://bubblebeeii.fer.hr/

AUVSI & ONR's 13th International Autonomous

Underwater Vehicle Competition
13-18 July 2010 Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center
TRANSDEC Facility, San Diego, California, USA
Project manager: Nenad Trifunovid (nenad.trifunovic@fer.hr)
Mechanical engineers: Milan Markovid (FSB)
Ship engineers: Jure Urem, Marin Rajid (FSB)
Electrical engineers & sensors: Matija Puškar, Danijel Babid (FER)
Software: Tomislav Barišid, Pavle Prentašid (FER)
Control & automation: Morana Blinja, Luka Pravica (FER)
Menthors: prof.dr.sc Zoran Vukid, prof.dr.sc. Vedran Slapničar
Conclusion
• LABUST is the only laboratory for underwater robotics (UST) in Croatia and in
the region (Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania)

• LABUST goals are not only in R&D but also in education and in the community,
for the benefit of all. All these activities are of equal importance to us.

• Our research is applied one with the applications spanning marine

biology/ecology, marine archaeology, maritime security and offshore industry.

• CURE will enable us to fullfill these goals and become leader in the region for
underwater systems and technologies.

• The need for our expertise will become more relevant because the protection
and exploration of underwater resources will intensify in the future.

• LABUST is active with the goal of developing this specific technology in

Republic of Croatia.

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