Serdar Soylu’s Latest Publication

Cellula’s own Serdar Soylu has just had his paper, “Precise trajectory control for an inspection class ROV”, published in Ocean Engineering. It is currently available online and will be printed in the physical journal in January, 2016.

Abstract

This work addresses the design, implementation and testing of a new precision guidance and control system for an inspection class remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV). A new multi-input multi-output control law, composed of a model-based equivalent control signal and two adaptive signals, is presented. In the controller, the first adaptive signal is a PID signal with a novel adaptation law that enhances the controller performance and allows efficient fine tuning of the controller. The second adaptive signal continuously estimates the upper bound on the lumped uncertainty vector and acts as a corrective term for the equivalent control law. A Lyapunov based guidance algorithm is implemented that can tolerate significant uncertainties in the system kinematics. The effectiveness of the system on an ROV is demonstrated through field trials in sheltered waters. For the experimental work, an extended Kalman filter is used to for navigation, blending the on-board sensor measurements with a process model to produce an estimate of the vehicle dynamics. The collective guidance and navigation system are validated using high precision optical motion capture data. The system achieves decimetre-level precision, significantly extending the capabilities of the ROV for tasks requiring high precision position and velocity control.

The article is available to purchase on ScienceDirect.

Cellula a Finalist at the BC Export Awards

Cellula Robotics has been chosen as a finalist in the Advancing Technology & Innovation category at this year’s BC Export Awards.

The BC Export Awards are an annual showcase of BC’s Top Exporters, recognizing and honouring their achievements and promoting them as corporate role models to stimulate greater involvement in exporting among the province’s business community. For more information see the BC Export Awards website.

The award presentation will take place November 20th.

Quality Re-certification

Cellula Robotics has successfully completed its re-certification audit in order to maintain its ISO 9001:2008 status. Cellula's quality program is just one of the ways that Cellula strives to exceed customer expectations.

For more information on our quality standards, view our HSQE page.

Cellula Robotics Nominated for BC Export Award

Cellula Robotics has been nominated for the BC Export Awards by Royal Bank of Canada.

The BC Export Awards are an annual showcase of BC’s Top Exporters, recognizing and honouring their achievements and promoting them as corporate role models to stimulate greater involvement in exporting among the province’s business community. For more information see the BC Export Awards page.

The awards will be presented on November 20, 2015.

Serdar Soylu to Present at IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society Event

Cellula Control Systems Engineer, Serdar Soylu, will be presenting at BCIT  on “Coordinated control of small, remotely operated and submerged vehicle-manipulator systems.”

Current submerged science projects such as VENUS and NEPTUNE have revealed the need for small, low-cost and easily deployed underwater remotely operated vehicle-manipulator (ROVM) systems. Unfortunately, existing small remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) are not equipped to complete the complex and interactive submerged tasks required for these projects. Adapting a popular small ROV into a ROVM that is capable of low-cost and time-efficient underwater manipulation will help to realize this objective.

The primary focus of this talk it to visit various technical building blocks that ultimately lead to such a coordinated control system for small ROVMs. Several model-based control methodologies are proposed to realize the desired motion produced by the redundancy resolution. For a unifies system (redundancy resolution and controller), a new human-machine interface (HMI) is designed that can facilitate the coordinated control of ROVM systems.

In the first phase of implementation, a small inspection-class ROV is adopted. To improve navigation, a navigation skid is designed that contains a Doppler Velocity Log, a compass, an intertial measurement unit, and acoustic position data. The theoretical and practical results illustrate that the proposed tools can transform. a small, low-cost ROVM system into a highly capable, time-efficient system that can complete complex subsea tasks.

Dr. Serdar Soylu received his B.E degree (with honors) in mechanical engineering from the Dokuz Eylul University in Turkey in 2002, and his M.A.Sc and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Victoria, Canada, in 2005 and 2011 respectively. He has been working for Cellula Robotics as a Control Systems Engineer since 2011 where he also held his NSERC Industrial Research and Development Fellowship (IRDF) from 2012 to 2014 on the automation of seafloor drills.

Event Details:

Date & Time: Thursday 20 August 6:30 PM
Location: BCIT Burnaby Campus, SW1-2019

For more information, contact Jacqueline Nichols at jnichols@cellula.com.

Successful Completion Subsea Well Intervention Valve Packs

Cellula Robotics Ltd. successfully delivers three subsea well intervention valve packs to Blue Ocean Technologies.

In December 2014, Cellula Robotics Ltd. (Cellula) was awarded a contract by Blue Ocean Technologies LLC. (Blue Ocean) to design and manufacture subsea valve packs for the Blue Ocean Riserless Intervention System (BORIS). The valve packs will operate in water depths down to 3000 meters to control critical functions of the BORIS. The project will be designed to the rigorous requirements of ISO 13628-6 and other applicable industry standards.

For this project, Cellula upgraded their manifold testing facility with a high pressure, water based control fluids, flushing station that can clean to NAS 1634 Class 6. The new flushing station reduces the time taken during integration to reach the required cleanliness standard.

Blue Ocean Technologies LLC., which is based in Conroe, Texas, was established in 2008 and became an early player in Riserless Subsea Intervention. The company founders have extensive experience in the field of riserless intervention and the broader organization has extensive knowledge and design experience in subsea and well intervention with a proven riserless intervention track record in water depths in excess of 8,200 feet. In addition, the Blue Ocean team has field-proven capabilities to perform subsea well infrastructure diagnostics, interventions, work overs, remediation, well plugging and abandonment (P&A). For more information, please visit Blue Ocean’s website.

Cellula at WHOI Marine Robotics Entrepreneurship Forum

Tristan Crees, Cellula’s Control Systems Manager, will be attending Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s (WHOI) first annual Marine Robotics Entrepreneurship Forum July 23-24 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The event is focused on engaging young marine robotics companies with the larger community of marine research institutions, established companies, and potential investors.

WHOI is the world’s leading non-profit oceanographic research organization.

For more details about the event visit their event page.

Cellula Robotics Opens Location in UK

Cellula Robotics is proud to announce the establishment of its European counterpart, Cellula Robotics UK Ltd. The UK location will perform regional business development, customer support, solutions engineering, and project management.

Cellula UK is headed by Mr. Allan Spencer, Managing Director.  Allan has over 22 years’ experience in program management, design and business management, both onshore and offshore, with extensive experience in the development and operation of advanced subsea trenching systems and seafloor geotechnical drilling systems. In addition, Allan holds an engineering degree, with Honors, from Leeds, UK, is a Chartered Engineer registered with the UK Engineering Council, a Chartered Marine Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and has recently successfully completed an MBA programme at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, UK.

Cellula Robotics (UK) Ltd. is located at:

Suite 122 Brathens Eco-Business Park,
Hill of Brathens, Glassel, Banchory,
Aberdeenshire, AB31 4BW
United Kingdom
See on map

Tel: +44-1330-826-889
Mob: +44-7961-179-973
Email: allan.spencer@cellula.com
Website: www.cellula.com

Successful Completion of CRD100 Factory Acceptance Testing

Cellula Robotics Ltd. successfully completed factory acceptance testing of its second CRD100 seafloor drill for Fukada Salvage & Marine Works Ltd. Co. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).

The CRD100 is a fourth generation seafloor drill designed to operate in waters down to 3000m depth for geotechnical surveys, mineral exploration and methane gas hydrates sampling.

Built on proven subsystems, the CRD100 is self-contained with a 100 HP power pack.   The CRD100 provides an unprecedented level of intelligent control that facilitates efficient core sampling and CPT pushes.  A wireline tool system further enhances the speed of operation.  The JAMSTEC CRD100 includes “size H” tooling and also supports optional tools for surface sampling (T146) and large cased boreholes.

The project includes the seafloor drill, offshore control van and a custom launch and recovery system with an active heave compensated winch.  All equipment will be delivered in July 2015 and will be undergoing sea trials in 2016.

Cellula Robotics Ltd. (CRL) based in Burnaby, Canada, is a world-leading engineering solutions company that specializes in the turnkey design and production of seafloor intervention and subsea robotic systems. Cellula’s products are primarily used for geotechnical and geophysical applications around the world. For more information, please visit the CRL website: http://www.cellula.com/

Fukada Salvage and Marine Works Co., Ltd. (FSM), headquartered in Osaka, Japan is involved marine salvage, steel structure installation, offshore engineering, and other infrastructural improvement projects. FSM is currently introducing deep-sea research equipment and other cutting-edge assets to a fleet of six offshore support vessels to aggressively tackle ocean development projects. For more information, please visit the FSM website: http://www.fukasal.co.jp/en/index.html

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world’s leading heavy machinery manufacturers, with consolidated sales of 3,349.5 billion yen in fiscal 2013, the year ended March 31, 2014. MHI’s diverse lineup of products and services encompasses four business domains, “Energy & Environment”, “Commercial Aviation & Transportation Systems”, “Integrated Defense & Space Systems” and “Machinery, Equipment & Infrastructure.” For more information, please visit the MHI website: http://www.mhi.co.jp/en/index.html

Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) is an independent administrative institution whose main objective is to contribute to the advancement of academic research in addition to the improvement of marine science and technology. For more information, please visit the JAMSTEC website: http://www.jamstec.go.jp/e/

Cellula Moves into Brand New Facility

Cellula Robotics Ltd. (Cellula) has moved into a brand new, custom-built facility.The new building was constructed by Kask Ventures Corporation and is located at 9000 Bill Fox Way in Burnaby, B.C.

Cellula’s new facility provides 7500 square feet of office space, five loading bays, and a 6800 square foot assembly area with a twenty-four foot ceiling. Integrated in the office areas are dedicated mechanical and control systems laboratories.

To support the development and testing of Cellula’s seafloor drills, a 108 feet deep, eight inch diameter, steel cased hole has been installed in the assembly area. The cased hole will enable drilling with mud, sampling and down hole tool testing of Cellula’s drill systems within the factory environment.

Cellula Robotics Ltd. based in Burnaby, Canada, is a world-leading engineering solutions company that specializes in the turnkey design and production of seafloor intervention and subsea robotic systems. Cellula’s products are primarily used for geotechnical and geophysical applications around the world.