ROVsim® Undersea Pilot Series™ is a collection of physics accurate, visually realistic and highly configurable Remotely Operated (submerged) Vehicle (ROV) simulators intended for ROV and marine professionals.  By implementing the very latest technologies for real-time 3D visualization, it is able to simulate a wide range of mission variables: from changing currents and visibility, to electronics and gear failures.

Each volume in the series comes pre-configured with one popular commercial ROV and a selection of pre-built, realistic missions.  Each volume in the series includes a selection from our most asked for missions including tunnel/pipe/tank inspection, marine biologics research and sampling, human remains/crime scene investigation and recovery, ship's hull inspection, harbor security, and marine archaeological research and recovery.  Manufacturer's whose products are represented in the series include SeaBotix (Undersea Pilot Series Volume One) and SeaEye (Undersea Pilot Series Volume Two).

User Configurable Environment and Mission Options
A number of mission environment and options are available so the user may customize their undersea experience.  Environmental Settings include Visibility, Current Direction and Current Speed.  Visibility can be changed to simulate the clear waters of the tropics , or the murkiest waters of a municipal sewer system.  Currents can be set to no current at all to any direction on the compass and up to the maximum the ROV can still successfully maneuver.

In the Mission Options panel the user may change Casualties and Physics Accuracy.  By turning Casualties ON the ROV becomes sensitive to how the pilot maneuvers his craft.  Too much tension on the ROV's tether or hit an obstacle too hard and he risks loosing his camera or loss of power to his thrusters.  Physics Accuracy determines how accurately ROVsim® calculates collisions with obstacles or when using the manipulator's claws.  This can be turned to a LOW setting when using the simulator for exploration purposes only or to speed up performance on a slow computer.

Simulator Main Screen
The ROVsim® simulator main screen includes all the information the pilot will need to operate the vehicle and is designed to duplicate the look and feel of a typical ROV control panel.  The main screen has three main monitors:

1. Video Monitor 1 is the main ROV video display.  This is the view from the ROV's main camera, and includes a digital display just as it appears on the actual ROV display.  The digital display includes realtime displays of thruster gain, light intensity, vehicle heading and depth, camera angle, water temperature, date and time.

2. Sonar Monitor is the vehicle's DST (Digital SONAR Technology) display and is used by the pilot to assist in navigation and obstacle avoidance as well as surveying missions.

3. Video Monitor 2 is a "fish eye" view of the vehicle from behind.  This perspective is particularly helpful for students to help visualize the ROV's situation and for more experienced pilots while making presentations to others. 

Vehicle Control and Data Panels
All ROV controls and data is displayed in five ergonomically designed panels along the bottom of the main screen.

4. Tether Management System (TMS).  ROVsim's TMS display includes the length of tether in the water as well as its relative tension.  As the tension on the tether approaches its Safe Working Load (SWL) the display turns yellow to caution the pilot.  If the tension should exceed the tether's SWL the display turns red.

5. Vehicle Main Operational Controls.  This panel includes displays and controls for thruster gain, camera angle and onboard light intensity.
6. Vehicle Data is the realtime display of the ROV's operational data and includes its heading, depth, altitude (height above the bottom) and speed.

7. Scene Data shows the mission's settings and options including visibility, current direction and speed and physics accuracy.

8. Utilities provides controls so the pilot may capture a photo of the video display or toggle the hydrophone's audio on or off.

Custom Mission Designer
Using the mission editor you are able to create a new custom mission environment or launch a previously created one.  Design your own mission by importing your own models and textures or build one using the supplied terrain, models and textures.   Models that are imported can be moved, rotated or "dropped" on to the terrain's surface either interactively or by entering a position on the keyboard.  Custom Mission Definition Files can even be created with a text editor or an external application.  The Custom Mission Designer supports 3D models in .OBJ format and textures in .PNG or .JPG formats.

9. Tools panel displays all the tools available in the designer.  By clicking one of the icons the editor's camera can be moved or rotated and imported objects moved or rotated to their desired position.

10. Position display panel displays the selected object's X,Y,Z coordinates as well as rotation, thus allowing precise object positioning.

11. Layers panel lists those objects and their associated textures currently in the mission.  3D objects (layers) can be added, removed or changed as desired.  As many as 8 different layers can be used in the Custom Mission Designer.

12. Main work area is where all the layers are assembled and moved into place.  The 3D objects appear in the editor just as they will in the simulator.

NEW FEATURES in Volume Two: 

Three entirely new missions - Volume Two includes three new missions:  municipal sewer system inspection, super tanker inspection / harbor security, and Antarctic under ice biological survey and collection.

Enhanced graphics - More detailed graphics and 3D effects, including detailed undersea fauna, cavitation effects, animated props and more.

13. Enhanced 3D Imaging Sonar with intensity controls - Now the sonar display includes a realistic 3D imaging display and user controlled intensity. 

14. Enhanced collision graphics - Collisions now include more detailed failures and visual cues.

Automated Tether Management - The user may either tender the tether manually or opt to have ROVsim automatically manage the tether length thus allowing the operator to concentrate on piloting the vehicle.

Extended help and mission instructions - A new mission instructions manual is included with details on 12 scenarios to be used with the 3 preset missions.

Split screen / dual screen support - ROVsim UPS now supports split screens / dual screens.  The main video and SONAR windows may now be displayed on either a wide screen or dual monitors (* suitable dual screen graphics card required).

Full control of thruster gain - Thrusters may be user adjusted from 0 through 100% gain allowing greater vehicle control.

Extended custom user controls - More simulated inputs may now be controlled by external devices, thus allowing a even more realistic simulation.  External devices can now control:

Vehicle - up / down, forward / reverse, veer left / right, turn left / right.

Tether - in / out.

Lights - increase / decrease intensity.

Camera - rotate up / down.

Visit Mission Videos to see it in action or Register to download a free demo version.