HBED - SCIENTIFIC TOOLING

SCALING LASER SYSTEM
Harbor Branch Engineering pioneered the use of underwater lasers to enhance imaging systems. The small lasers used to help provide scale of objects within a video frame were first built and installed on the HBOI JOHNSON-SEA-LINKs in 1984. The shutter system invented and patented by HBOI gives the user a safe, visible indication of laser operation. Guest scientists using the JSL's soon recognized the advantage of using these lasers, resulting in HBOI building lasers for use on the research sub Alvin, MBARI's ROV's Ventana and Tiburon. The patented safety shutters are unique to the HBOI units that sell for the same price as the competitor's units without the shutters. Lasers are available in RED (640nm) and GREEN (532nm).

The new green laser operates at a wavelength of 532 nm, offering several distinct advantages over red lasers in underwater applications. To the human eye a 532 nm green laser will appear approximately 27 times brighter than a 670 nm red laser of equivalent power. Also, in sea water, the color green has considerably less attenuation than the color red making it visible for greater distances. For example, at a range of 20 meters, 44% of the light from a 532 nm green laser would remain as compared to .002% from an equivalent power 640nm RED laser.

The lasers are typically used to provide scale within a video frame and/or still photography. Another function is to provide convergence to visually cue the optimum depth of field for a camera. We have also used the lasers as an aiming device for acoustic measuring systems, 3-D laser line scanners, and automated spearguns for grouper capture.

Automated scaling of objects within a video can be performed with HBOI's laser scaling package. This package requires a minimum of three lasers (four is preferred), a computer with a frame capture board installed, and the HBOI software.

A three beam laser quantitative measurement system has been developed for producing graphic overlays indicating range, area of coverage, scale, and other information on video images as they are displayed. In the simplest configuration, two parallel laser projections are aligned in a direction along the optical axis of a video camera. A third beam is oriented along an angle with respect to the parallel beams and is adjusted to be within the desired field of view at the maximum viewing distance. Laser reflections at a sufficient intensity to be clearly observable against the background are sensed by a video camera. These laser dots are automatically located, unless the user selects them manually, in the captured image and the desired dimensions are computed. In another configuration, three or more laser projections are arranged parallel to the video camera axis.

For a fixed camera magnification, the parallel configuration establishes the location and tilt of a planar reflecting surface located at an arbitrary location in space. Additional laser projections improve the accuracy of the estimates and can be useful for obtaining the same information when a zoom lens is used with the video camera. Tests of these systems indicate that a ranging accuracy of better than 7 mm can be obtained at a two meter standoff distance.

RED LASER SPECIFICATIONS

Mechanical
• Operating Depth -- 6,000 meters
• Proof test pressure -- 5,000 psi
• Housing material -- 6061-T6, anodized aluminum
• Weight -- 0.7 lb. inch in air • 0.4 lb. inch in water
• Diameter -- 1.5 maximum
• Length -- 8 inches (including connector)

Optical
• Power output -- 10 mw typical
• Wavelength -- 635 nm (red-orange)
• Beam size -- 2 x 5 mm at exit port
• Beam convergence -- Adjustable for focus distance of 0.5 to 3 meters - factory set for one meter
• Spot size -- 0.5 to 2 mm dependent on focus distance

Electrical
• Voltage -- 8 to 30 VDC
• Current -- 100 mA maximum
• Polarity -- Unimportant
• Connector -- Impulse IE-2M-BC mates with Impulse IE-2F-5/8 or Marshall 26-5FCO

The micro laser is equipped with a gravity-activated shutter which blocks the laser beam when the assembly is out of water. Provisions are made for temporarily opening the shutter mechanism while a setup is being tested. This is accomplished by temporarily raising the shutter ball or rotating the complete assembly 180¡. It is important that the shutter is reactivated immediately after the testing is complete or a major safety feature of the design will be negated.

GREEN LASER SPECIFICATIONS

Mechanical
• Housing -- 6061-T6 Aluminum (black anodized)
• Optical Port -- S1-UV grade fused silica
• Length -- 16.5 cm. (6 inches - 10 inches including connector)
• Diameter -- 5.08 cm. (2 inches)

Electrical
• Voltage -- 5 to 24 VDC
• Current -- 400 ma
• Connector -- Brantner VSF-2-BCL

Laser
• Type -- Semi-conductor laser diode Class III
• Wavelength -- 532 nm (green)
• Optical Power -- 3 mw
• Beam Diameter -- 1 mm
• Beam Divergence -- 1.5 mrad

Operating Ratings
• Depth -- 6100 meters (20,000 feet)
• Temperature -- 0 to 25 C°

Typical Applications Include:
• Camera aiming, range finding, depth of field indicators, and scaling

SCIENTIFIC COLLECTION TOOLING
The Engineering Division of HBOI has been developing and building innovative tool packages for use on submersibles and ROVs for thirty years. HBOI has spent years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in tool development, construction, and operational use at sea along with continual refinement. Guest scientists using the HBOI tools on board our submersibles and ROVs has resulted in these scientists purchasing HBOI tools for use on the various subsea vehicles they operate. The research submersible "Alvin" and both of MBARI's ROV s currently have HBOI tools on board as standard equipment. Additionally, we developed and built new tools for outside scientists to perform specific scientific tasks. Numerous tools have been built for use on assorted vehicles. Although a tool package is not requested in the RFQ, HBOI is offering to the University of Southampton a "Scientific Collection Tool package" that reflects our years of development and operational experience. The collection tooling we are offering includes a 12-bucket rotary sampler, a suction sampler, Detritus Trap rack, tube core rack, and box core rack.

Rotary Sampler and Suction Sampler
These are the same units that we provided to MBARI for use on the "Ventana" and "Tiburon" ROVs, but with an upgrade to 10,000-meter depth capacity. The carousel will reside within the removable science skid (removable section of vehicle frame) mounted on the bottom of the ROV. The suction sampler pump will mount at the rear of the skid. The combination of these two items allows the manipulator to collect specimens and place them in a numbered sample bucket, and then rotate the next bucket into place for the next sample. Alternatively, the suction sampler (slurp gun) is capable of sucking in delicate specimens that would be difficult to collect with the manipulator. The suction sampler or slurp gun consists of a reversible pump that creates suction through a flexible hose, a suction plenum, and a sample intake mounted on the manipulator. The pilot, using the manipulator, places the suction intake over the specimen to be collected and the specimen travels up the hose to the plenum and into the sample bucket. Any debris, such as sand and silt, continues on to the pump at the rear of the ROV and exits without degrading visibility.

The suction sampler is similar to a number of earlier designs built for the HBOI manned submersibles and several smaller ones developed for use on smaller vehicles. The present design has 12 Plexiglas buckets, in which biological samples can be collected at depth, temporarily stored, and transported to the surface support ship for later study. The buckets are mounted within a framework which allows them to be rotated (either direction) into position beneath a suction head. In this position, a large diameter inlet hose is positioned at the center of the bucket while a variable-speed, high-volume suction pump is connected to annular outlet regions at the top of the bucket. A fine-mesh screen on the bucket prevents the collected material or animal from being sucked into the pump. Although it is intended primarily as a tool for selectively collecting mid-water animals, the sampler can be used to collect a wide range of materials including benthic samples. The pump can be reversed to eject unwanted material from the bucket or suction hose.

Twelve linked bucket holders driven by a small, slow-speed electric motor (index motor) and an electric controller accomplish movement of the buckets. Provisions are made to disengage the drive mechanism so that the buckets can be rotated manually on deck. One-bucket position has a lid to allow the buckets to be easily removed from the framework.

Note: For more information, refer to the manual of the Rotary Sampler as supplied to MBARI within the appendix of this document.

Detritus Traps
HBOI engineering developed the detritus traps for use on the JSL submersibles. The JSL rack typically carries eight traps per dive. A rack of four detritus traps was developed and successfully used on the HBOI ROV "SCOOP". The detritus trap racks have proven to be very successful at collecting delicate midwater creatures. Detritus trap racks have been produced by HBOI for use on the French Nautile submersible, the MBARI "Ventana" and "Tiburon" ROVs, as well as the HBOI JSLs, "Celia" and "SCOOP". HBOI is offering a rack of four traps as used on other ROV systems. These traps have a top and bottom opening that are simultaneously hydraulically operated. The trap itself is made from clear acrylic. The internal volume is 12 inches long by 6.5 inches in diameter. Typical operations include ensuring the doors are open during descent, carefully maneuvering the specimen to be collected into the trap, and closing the opening, capturing the specimen in a column of water. The specimen is returned to the surface, the trap removed, and brought into the ship's lab where the specimen is removed.

Tube Core Rack
HBOI is offering a rack of six standard tube cores configured for ROV operations. The rack mounts on the lower front of the ROV where the manipulator is capable of pulling a tube from the rack, inserting the tube in to the seabed, and then storing the tube with the sample into the rack.

Box Core Rack
HBOI is offering a rack of two standard box cores configured for ROV operations. The rack mounts on the lower front of the ROV where the manipulator is capable of removing the box core from the rack, inserting the box core in to the seabed, and rotating the box core handle to close the bottom doors of the box core. The box core is then returned to the rack by the manipulator. The rack consists of two PVC boxes with bell guide openings for easy return of the box core by the manipulator.