Unmanned Vehicle University is the first University in the World dedicated to higher education in Unmanned Air, Ground and Sea Systems. The school offers technical training in Unmanned systems though 3 day short courses. Graduate degrees in Unmanned Systems Engineering are also offered with a totally online curriculum.
An unmanned system is not just a vehicle. It is composed of the vehicle, communications, data links and control stations. Degree programs at UVU take a systems engineering approach. Graduates will enter the unmanned career field in the areas of R&D, vehicle design, sensor development, vehicle communications and data links, sense and avoid systems, human machine interfaces, autonomous control, vehicle navigation, alternative power and operations.
In this paper I introduce a series of AUV related basin experiment platforms we are developing as a set of underwater technology educational tool. Existing AUV platforms are very expensive for general students or schools to purchase as an educational tool so the popularity of AUV technology among the general people is not still so high in Japan. On the other hand, land based robotic contest is very popular in Japan and its educational effect seems good for the wide range of students. I think it is important for us to develop a set of handy and low cost tools oriented to the underwater technology education and AUV related platforms which can use easily in a small basin will be one of the best choices. In this paper I will introduce our concept of the AUV based experimental systems as an underwater technology educational tool.More
This document outlines a classroom activity for students in grades 9-12 to teach the principles behind the design of AUVs.
• construct a model of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)
• be able to explain how drag, thrust, and lift forces affect the performance of their model AUV
• be able to explain how their AUV can be designed to optimize drag, thrust, and lift forces
• be able to compare and contrast the locomotion of AUVs and aquatic organisms like fishes, sea turtles, or whales
• be able to explain the difference between mass and buoyancy of an object immersed in water, and explain why AUVs and aquatic organisms need to adjust their buoyancy
• be able to explain how potential energy turned into kinetic energy in real AUVs, the AUV model, and swimming organisms
• be able to compute energy and power released during a swim