Inverse kinematic procedures applied to underwater rescue transfer skirt mechanisms using altimeter sensors

Abstract

One of the most complicated challenges in submarine rescue operations is how to effectively connect a disabled submarine to a rescue one. Articulated transfer skirt mechanisms are utilized as a means for simplifying the connection process between two submarines. The accuracy of kinematic procedures used for adjusting the mechanism is a substantial aspect of designing transfer skirts. This article commences with investigating forward kinematics of the transfer skirt. Afterwards, its inverse kinematics is taken into consideration using data provided by four altimeter sensors located on the skirt mouth. An appropriate algorithm is presented for the rotation required by both direction and angle skirts based on data obtained by altimeter sensors. Furthermore, a process is designed to obtain new set points if there exists errors in the control system of the skirt or for any changes in the orientation of disabled submarine or rescue submarine. Finally, the results are validated using CATIA DMU Kinematics.