The Scientific Diving Centre (SDC) at TU Bergakademie Freiberg not only trains the next generation of academic divers. Together with the Institute of Computer Science, the SDC has now developed a tool that will play a crucial role in critical infrastructure in the future. It is a diving robot that analyses the safety of dams in places where technology has so far found it difficult to reach: under water. At the current IFAT trade fair in Munich, the researchers are now presenting their "SUBmarIne" project for inspecting structures under water. The team trialled the submersible robot at dams - where it will be used in the future.
We are at the Malter dam near Dippoldiswalde in Saxony: the massive, slightly curved wall dates back to the imperial era. The greyed colossus was built after the Weißeritz swept 19 people to their deaths during the flood of 1897, destroying houses, bridges and railway lines. Dams are crucial for the safety of people and infrastructure - and indispensable for the water supply, explains TU Bergakademie Freiberg project manager Dr Thomas Grab from the Scientific Diving Centre: "In the wake of climate change, it is of course becoming increasingly important to have resilient water available all year round. That's why it's so important to be able to fill the reservoirs accordingly and, above all, to have reliable water all year round."
Better recognise damaged areas with 3D models
The shallow robot is to complete its maiden dive in the wild at the Malter dam. Tubular spotlights are attached to the left and right. These will be urgently needed, as the water is cloudy with sediment and pollen. The camera is enthroned in the centre in a watertight sphere. Gero Licht from the Institute of Computer Science carefully lifts the small robot into the water. A yellow cable transmits the camera images to Gero Licht's laptop. "We will later extract the images from the video and create a 3D model of the dam wall," explains the computer scientist. "We do this," adds Thomas Grab from the SDC, "so that we can localise damaged areas as precisely as possible. We can also use the data to automatically identify points of interest."
Lower costs - more security
At the same time as Gero Licht, Richard Gruhn, research associate at the SDC, is preparing a second camera device. This will be operated by human divers in parallel with the robot during the pilot test. In the meantime, divers from the company GeoWid have got ready. They are accompanying the robot on this first dive. In future, it will be travelling alone as an initial inspector, looking at the entire dam wall. The team will then use the 3D model to decide which areas to inspect more closely. Thomas Grab: "This allows the diving team to concentrate on critical areas during subsequent missions. It saves time, reduces costs and increases safety."
Submersible robots at the IFAT trade fair in Munich
Researchers from TU Bergakademie Freiberg are currently presenting their submersible robot at IFAT in Munich, the leading trade fair for all topics relating to water and raw materials safety. Visitors to the trade fair will be able to experience the work of humans and robots up close. The Freiberg team has filmed a 360° video that takes visitors on a journey along the dam wall, across the expanse of the Malter reservoir and under the surface of the water.
