Bluefin Robotics is an American robotics company, headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts, which specialises in the design and manufacture of military and civilian autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and related technology. The company was founded in 1997, and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Battelle Memorial Institute in 2005. Its products include the Bluefin-21 underwater search robot and its military derivative, the Knifefish minesweeping AUV, which is scheduled to enter service with the United States Navy in 2017. Bluefin has furthermore been involved in the development of several advanced Navy projects, including the Black Pearl AUV and the Proteus optionally-manned submersible.
Video Bluefin Robotics
Company history and overview
Bluefin Robotics was founded in 1997 by a group of engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AUV laboratory. In 2005, the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Battelle Memorial Institute, an Ohio-based nonprofit research and development company. In 2010, Bluefin Robotics won a gold award at the 7th Annual Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards, and in 2013 it received accolades from R&D Magazine and the Robotics Business Review. In April 2014, it received a US$7.11 million federal contract from the US Navy's Office of Naval Research for the development of the Navy's experimental Black Pearl AUV.
As of 2014, Bluefin Robotics employs around 200 people. The company is a member of several business and technology associations, including the Marine Technology Society (MTS), the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the Mine Warfare Association (MINWARA), the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council (MassTLC).
In February 2016, General Dynamics Mission Systems acquired Bluefin Robotics. Bluefin Robotics will become part of General Dynamics Mission Systems' Maritime and Strategic Systems line of business. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed.
Maps Bluefin Robotics
Products and Services
Bluefin Robotics has developed over 50 AUV configurations from a core set of modular components, and has furthermore produced sensors for use on 80 different third-party AUVs. In addition to designing and manufacturing AUV components, the company provides "full AUV lifecycle support" for users of its robots, including training and operational assistance. Bluefin Robotics maintains a 55,000-square-foot (5,100 m2) development and manufacturing facility at its Quincy headquarters, and also operates the catamaran R/V Resolution, a mobile control center for testing and monitoring the company's robots. As of 2015, Bluefin Robotics' most notable products are the Bluefin-21 and Knifefish long-endurance AUVs and the Proteus optionally-manned submersible.
Bluefin-21 AUV
The Bluefin-21 is a torpedo-shaped multirole AUV capable of conducting oceanic military, scientific and search and rescue operations. Utilising a modular design powered by interchangeable lithium-polymer batteries, it can operate on the sea floor for up to sixteen hours at a time. In 2014, the Bluefin-21 was deployed to conduct undersea sensor sweeps during the international effort to locate the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Knifefish AUV
The Knifefish is a derivative of the Bluefin-21, developed in partnership with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems. The Knifefish is designed to perform minesweeping operations for the US Navy, replacing the trained minesweeping dolphins and sealions of the Marine Mammal Program, and will operate in concert with the Navy's Littoral Combat Ships. The Knifefish is scheduled to begin sea trials in 2015 and to enter into active naval service in 2017.
Bluefin SandShark M-AUV
The Bluefin SandShark Micro-AUV is an autonomous UUV weighing less than 15 pounds that was developed by General Dynamics Mission Systems subsidiary Bluefin Robotics. Its functions include intelligence missions, small-scale survey missions recovering data, communications relays, conducting training, or functioning as a decoy for the U.S. Navy.
HAUV
HAUV is a two-man-portable hovering AUV designed for real-time data ship hull inspection. It identifies and maps structural issues on a ship's hull including large ocean going cargo ships, petroleum and chemical tankers, cruise ships and military surface and sub-surface vessels without dry-docking the ship. In March 2011, an HAUV was used to inspect the hull of the Navy's oldest commissioned warship, USS Constitution, in Boston Harbor. In 2016, in conjunction with the Office of Naval Research, Bluefin Robotics developed the third generation Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HAUV-3).
Proteus submersible
In 2012, Bluefin unveiled its largest AUV to date, the Proteus submersible, which it developed in partnership with the Columbia Group and Huntington Ingalls Underwater Solutions Group. The Proteus is an optionally-manned 8,000-pound (3,600 kg) submersible capable of carrying up to seven passengers; it can also operate autonomously with a large cargo payload. The Proteus was designed for naval special forces operations, and underwent sea trials with the US Navy SEALs in September 2012. In 2013, Bluefin Robotics received an R&D 100 award from R&D Magazine for the development of the Proteus.
References
See also
- Unmanned underwater vehicle
Source of article : Wikipedia
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