Applications and Development of Underwater Robotics and Underwater Vision Technology, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic, “Applications and Development of Underwater Robotics and Underwater Vision Technology, 2nd Edition” follows the success of its predecessor.

In today’s world, the ocean is one of the most important areas for human exploration and development. Underwater vision, as a cross-disciplinary field related to underwater environments, has a wide range of applications in marine resource development, marine biology research, underwater detection and control, and other fields.

In terms of marine resource development, underwater vision technology is a valuable tool for marine oil exploration and deep-sea mineral resource development. For example, high-precision underwater vision systems on underwater robots can facilitate oil exploration and development in deep-sea environments. Moreover, these robots can be utilized for the exploration and development of seabed mineral resources, enabling the development and utilization of deep-sea resources.

Regarding research on marine biology, underwater vision technology is useful for observing and studying marine organisms. High-definition underwater cameras on underwater robots can capture and observe marine organisms in the ocean. Furthermore, these cameras can aid in the study of deep-sea organisms, which enables scientists to comprehend the distribution of biological communities and ecosystems in deep-sea environments.

As for underwater detection and control, underwater vision technology plays a vital role in underwater target detection, underwater 3D modeling, and more. For example, underwater robots equipped with underwater sonars and cameras can detect and identify underwater targets in underwater environments. Moreover, these robots can create 3D models of underwater environments, providing a visualization tool for their detection and study.

Therefore, the application of underwater vision in the marine field has broad prospects for and holds great significance to promoting the development of the marine field. To promote the development of the underwater vision field, we will edit a Special Issue on underwater vision, inviting experts and scholars to share both their research results and the latest developments in the field.

We welcome submissions of papers related to the following areas:

• Underwater robot vision systems;
• Underwater image enhancement and processing techniques;
• Underwater object detection and recognition;
• Underwater 3D reconstruction techniques;
• Underwater optical imaging and laser scanning technologies;
• Underwater physical environment modeling and simulation;
• Underwater acoustic imaging and sonar technologies;
• Underwater communication and networking technologies.

Dr. Jingchun Zhou
Prof. Dr. Wenqi Ren
Prof. Dr. Qiuping Jiang
Dr. Yan-Tsung Peng
Topic Editors