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Design and Application of Underwater Robots for Navigation and Manipulation
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Design and Application of Underwater Robots for Navigation and Manipulation

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Ocean Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 September 2025 | Viewed by 2581

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Paolo Silvestri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical, Energy, Management and Transportation Engineering (DIME), Polytechnic School, University of Genoa, 16145 Genoa, Italy
Interests: dynamical systems; engineering; vibration; mechanics, structural dynamic

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a call for papers for a Special Issue, focusing on the innovative field of “Design and Application of Underwater Robotics for Navigation and Manipulation Tasks”. As advancements in marine technology continue to evolve, underwater robotics has emerged as a critical area of research and application, providing unprecedented capabilities for exploration, observation, and intervention in marine environments. These robots are playing a vital role in a wide range of sectors, from scientific research and environmental monitoring to resource extraction and defense.

This Special Issue aims to bring together pioneering research, case studies, and reviews that address the latest developments, challenges, and future directions in underwater robotics. We seek contributions that not only highlight technological innovations but also address the practical implications and interdisciplinary approaches needed to advance the field. In detail, we welcome contributions that explore a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

- Autonomous navigation and control systems;
- Advanced sensing and perception technologies;
- Manipulation techniques;
- AI and machine learning applications in underwater robotics;
- Energy-efficient propulsion and power management;
- Swarm robotics and multi-robot cooperation;
- Material science and design for underwater endurance;
- Environmental impact and sustainability.

The present Special Issue will allow for the collection of up-to-date scientific contributions, bringing new ideas to improve existing underwater robotics. These innovations aim to overcome current limitations in underwater navigation, manipulation, communication, and environmental interaction, thereby pushing the boundaries of exploration and intervention in challenging marine environments.

Dr. Paolo Silvestri
Guest Editor

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. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 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 2600 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 navigation
  • manipulation techniques
  • machine learning
  • underwater communication
  • underwater navigation
  • marine engineering
  • bio-inspired robot design
  • acoustic communication

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 19655 KiB  
Article
Persistent Localization of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles Using Visual Perception of Artificial Landmarks
by Jongdae Jung, Hyun-Taek Choi and Yeongjun Lee
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(5), 828; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13050828 - 22 Apr 2025
Viewed by 233
Abstract
Persistent localization is a critical requirement for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) engaged in long-term missions. Conventional dead-reckoning (DR) methods for estimating the position and orientation of AUVs often suffer from drift, necessitating additional information to correct accumulating errors. In this paper, we propose [...] Read more.
Persistent localization is a critical requirement for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) engaged in long-term missions. Conventional dead-reckoning (DR) methods for estimating the position and orientation of AUVs often suffer from drift, necessitating additional information to correct accumulating errors. In this paper, we propose a visual artificial landmarks-based simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system for AUVs. This system utilizes two types of underwater artificial landmarks that are observed using forward and downward-looking cameras. The information obtained from these detected landmarks, along with incremental DR estimates, is integrated within a framework based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF) SLAM approach, allowing for the recursive estimation of both the robot and the landmark states. We implemented the proposed visual SLAM method using our yShark II AUV and conducted experiments in an engineering basin to validate its effectiveness. A ceiling vision-based reference pose acquisition system was installed, facilitating a comparison between the pose estimation results obtained from DR and those derived from the SLAM method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Application of Underwater Robots for Navigation and Manipulation)
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14 pages, 2672 KiB  
Article
A Bio-Inspired Flexible Arm for Subsea Inspection: A Water Hydraulically Actuated Continuum Manipulator
by Emanuele Guglielmino, David Branson and Paolo Silvestri
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(4), 676; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040676 - 27 Mar 2025
Viewed by 231
Abstract
This paper outlines the outcomes of a multidisciplinary initiative aimed at creating flexible arms that leverage key aspects of soft-bodied sea animal anatomy. We designed and prototyped a flexible arm inspired by nature while focusing on integrating practical engineering technologies from a system [...] Read more.
This paper outlines the outcomes of a multidisciplinary initiative aimed at creating flexible arms that leverage key aspects of soft-bodied sea animal anatomy. We designed and prototyped a flexible arm inspired by nature while focusing on integrating practical engineering technologies from a system perspective. The mechanical structure was developed by studying soft-bodied marine animals from the cephalopod order. Simultaneously, we carefully addressed engineering challenges and limitations, including material flexibility, inherent safety, energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and manufacturing feasibility. The design process is demonstrated through two successive generations of prototypes utilizing fluidic actuators. The first one exhibited both radial and longitudinal actuators, the second one only longitudinal actuators, thus trading off between bio-inspiration and engineering constraints. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Application of Underwater Robots for Navigation and Manipulation)
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25 pages, 7861 KiB  
Article
System Identification and Navigation of an Underactuated Underwater Vehicle Based on LSTM
by Changhao Li, Zetao Hu, Desheng Zhang and Xin Wang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(2), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13020276 - 31 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 698
Abstract
Modeling and system identification are critical for the design, simulation, and navigation of underwater vehicles. This study presents a six degree-of-freedom (DoF) nonlinear model for a finless underactuated underwater vehicle, incorporating port-starboard symmetry and cross-flow terms. Then, hydrodynamic damping parameters are identified using [...] Read more.
Modeling and system identification are critical for the design, simulation, and navigation of underwater vehicles. This study presents a six degree-of-freedom (DoF) nonlinear model for a finless underactuated underwater vehicle, incorporating port-starboard symmetry and cross-flow terms. Then, hydrodynamic damping parameters are identified using an optimized Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), establishing a steady validation framework for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation coefficients. Additionally, system identification is further enhanced with a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network and a comprehensive dataset construction method, enabling time-series predictions of linear and angular velocities. To mitigate position divergence in dead reckoning (DR) caused by LSTM, a Nonlinear Explicit Complementary Filter (NECF) is integrated for attitude estimation, providing accurate yaw computation and reliable localization without dependence on acoustic sensors or machine vision. Finally, validation and evaluation are conducted to demonstrate model accuracy, EKF convergence, and the reliability of LSTM-based navigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Application of Underwater Robots for Navigation and Manipulation)
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20 pages, 12015 KiB  
Article
Research on Trajectory Tracking of Robotic Fish Based on DBO-Backstepping Control
by Huibao Yang, Shuheng Hu, Bangshuai Li, Xiujing Gao and Hongwu Huang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(12), 2364; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12122364 - 23 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 611
Abstract
Advancements in underwater robotic fish have generated new requirements for diverse underwater scenarios, presenting challenges in attaining efficient and precise control, particularly in the realm of classical trajectory tracking. In response to the inherently nonlinear and underactuated characteristics of underwater robot control design, [...] Read more.
Advancements in underwater robotic fish have generated new requirements for diverse underwater scenarios, presenting challenges in attaining efficient and precise control, particularly in the realm of classical trajectory tracking. In response to the inherently nonlinear and underactuated characteristics of underwater robot control design, this study introduces a trajectory tracking backstepping control method for the planar motion of underactuated underwater robotic systems. The method is grounded in dung beetle optimization (DBO) backstepping control. Firstly, a dynamic model of a single-node tail-actuated robotic fish is introduced, and the model is averaged. Based on the averaged model and Lyapunov functions, the design of the backstepping control scheme is derived to ensure the stability of the control system. Subsequently, the derived backstepping control is further optimized through the application of the DBO optimization algorithm, then the optimal backstepping control (OBC) approach is presented. Finally, the proposed control scheme is applied to the simulation experiments with the robotic fish. The simulation results for straight-line tracking indicate that OBC is superior to the PID method in terms of overshoot performance, reducing the average overshoot from 0.23 to 0.02. Additionally, OBC reduces the average velocity error from 0.043 m/s (backstepping control) to 0.035 m/s, which is lower than that of the PID method, with an average velocity error of 0.054 m/s. In turn tracking, the simulation results reveal that OBC reduces the average velocity error from 0.067 m/s (backstepping control) to 0.055 m/s and demonstrates better performance than the PID method, with an average velocity error of 0.066 m/s. Under various disturbance conditions, the simulations reveal that OBC exhibits superior performance when compared to other control methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Application of Underwater Robots for Navigation and Manipulation)
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