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UnderSea Recovery Corporation RR-PRODs
Rapidly-Reconfigurable Polymorphic Remotely Operated Devices
Underwater operations, especially those in deep water, tend to be extremely
inefficient. This is due to the deployment time of the vessel from the port to the site of operations and
the equipment deployment time from the vessel to its underwater position. In addition, the capabilities of
remotely operated devices (RODs) such as ROVs (remotely operated vehicles), grasping devices, or excavators
are limited both by their configuration and by their suite of onboard systems. This restricts their ability
to handle the variable circumstances that occur in underwater salvage. If a situation occurs that is beyond
the capabilities of the equipment onboard the salvage vessel, the efficiency suffers. A significant amount of time
can be lost trying to provide alternate procedures for accomplishing the task. The normal alternatives are
to attempt a system modification to ROD, to wait for the delivery of a ROD with capabilities equal to the
task at hand, or to return the recovery vessel to port in order to retrofit it with alternate equipment. All
of these options require great time and expense.
UnderSea Recovery Corporation is currently developing a series
of modular polymorphic devices that can be rapidly reconfigured in the field. This will save both
time and money. When a task cannot be accomplished by the ROD as configured, the ROD can usually be appropriately
reconfigured within a few hours. This flexibility is currently unavailable in underwater technology.
These rapidly-reconfigurable polymorphic remotely operated devices
(RR-PRODs) are based on a system of lightweight, low drag polypropylene trusses along with standardized
underwater thrusters, sensors, grasping arms, and controls. All configurations use a common umbilical
tether for power, control signals, and sensor data. These systems can be easily reconfigured to provide
capabilities not foreseen in the initial recovery scenario. Capabilities such as RR-PROD size, shape, arm
reach, grasping morphology, and load capacity can be changed at will in a short period of time. These
capabilities allow for increased efficiency and lower recovery cost. In many cases these systems will enable
the recovery of previously unreachable items.
This Web Site is currently under construction and information is continually being added. If you have any questions please contact:
info@UnderSeaRecovery.com
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