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Actuators
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Advanced Underwater Robotics
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Advanced Underwater Robotics

A special issue of Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 469

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. João Falcão Carneiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Interests: nonlinear control; sliding mode control; friction modelling; pneumatic systems; variable buoyancy control for underwater vehicles; control saving strategies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nuno Cruz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Interests: underwater robotics; underwater navigation; adaptive sampling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To expand humanity’s capacity to explore and monitor the oceans, the development of advanced underwater robotic systems is critical. These systems rely heavily on the design of innovative actuation and control mechanisms that ensure reliable and efficient operations in harsh and unpredictable marine environments. In this context, we invite you to submit your work to this Special Issue entitled "Advanced Underwater Robotics" in Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825). This Special Issue focuses on the latest advancements in actuation technologies and automation strategies for underwater robotics, with an emphasis on solutions that enhance the maneuverability, autonomy, and robustness of underwater vehicles and platforms. Topics of interest include novel actuators and propulsion systems, adaptive and bio-inspired mechanisms, high-precision and energy-efficient control algorithms, navigation and guidance systems, and mechanical subsystems designed for underwater operations, including deployment and recovery mechanisms and underwater manipulation systems. We aim to present contributions that advance the understanding and application of actuation and control in underwater environments, bridging theory and practical implementation. Both original research articles and comprehensive reviews are welcome for this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. João Falcão Carneiro
Dr. Nuno Cruz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Actuators is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • underwater robotics
  • autonomous underwater vehicles
  • underwater sensor platforms
  • underwater energy harvesting
  • underwater robot actuators
  • underwater robot sensors
  • underwater navigation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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27 pages, 5890 KB  
Article
Variable Structure Depth Controller for Energy Savings in an Underwater Device: Proof of Stability
by João Bravo Pinto, João Falcão Carneiro, Fernando Gomes de Almeida and Nuno A. Cruz
Actuators 2025, 14(7), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/act14070340 - 8 Jul 2025
Viewed by 279
Abstract
Underwater exploration is vital for advancing scientific understanding of marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and oceanic processes. Autonomous underwater vehicles and sensor platforms play a crucial role in continuous monitoring, but their operational endurance is often limited by energy constraints. Various control strategies have been [...] Read more.
Underwater exploration is vital for advancing scientific understanding of marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and oceanic processes. Autonomous underwater vehicles and sensor platforms play a crucial role in continuous monitoring, but their operational endurance is often limited by energy constraints. Various control strategies have been proposed to enhance energy efficiency, including robust and optimal controllers, energy-optimal model predictive control, and disturbance-aware strategies. Recent work introduced a variable structure depth controller for a sensor platform with a variable buoyancy module, resulting in a 22% reduction in energy consumption. This paper extends that work by providing a formal stability proof for the proposed switching controller, ensuring safe and reliable operation in dynamic underwater environments. In contrast to the conventional approach used in controller stability proofs for switched systems—which typically relies on the existence of multiple Lyapunov functions—the method developed in this paper adopts a different strategy. Specifically, the stability proof is based on a novel analysis of the system’s trajectory in the net buoyancy force-versus-depth error plane. The findings were applied to a depth-controlled sensor platform previously developed by the authors, using a well-established system model and considering physical constraints. Despite adopting a conservative approach, the results demonstrate that the control law can be implemented while ensuring formal system stability. Moreover, the study highlights how stability regions are affected by different controller parameter choices and mission requirements, namely, by determining how these aspects affect the bounds of the switching control action. The results provide valuable guidance for selecting the appropriate controller parameters for specific mission scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Underwater Robotics)
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