US Navy turns to hull-climbing bots to combat maintenance backlog
(2023/04/03)
- Reference: 1680528430
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2023/04/03/us_navy_hull_bots/
- Source link:
video Never mind seals, the US Navy is turning to geckos to improve its ship inspection capabilities. Much like their amphibiously named comrades, these robots are geckos in name – and wall-climbing capabilities – only.
The bots come from Gecko Robotics, which [1]said last week it had reached a deal with the Navy to supply it with the company's [2]Toka series bots. The devices use ultrasound sensors and wheels made from rare-earth magnets to quickly (they climb about 60 ft/18 meters per minute) and easily scale the hulls of ships in drydock for maintenance.
In a [3]video released prior to the Navy's approval of the ferritic surface-climbing bots, the company said its system can complete an inspection 10 times faster than one consisting of humans, while also collecting 1,000 times the data points. According to US Navy data cited by Gecko, the bots can reduce person hours for ship hull and rudder inspection by a whopping 36 days, and lead time for such inspections from 11 days to just one.
[4]
[5]Youtube Video
[6]
[7]
If used across [8]all four regional naval maintenance centers, the Navy could save 575 equivalent drydock days per year, Gecko claimed.
"We are proud to have a mature technology that has been tested and approved by both Navy technical leaders and the sustainment officials charged with reducing the Navy's maintenance backlog," said Jake Loosararian, Gecko's CEO and co-founder.
[9]
The US Navy had previously approved Gecko's Rapid Ultrasonic Gridding inspection process, which uses the climbing robots to collect thickness maps of material like ship hulls facing constant corrosion risks from salt water and exposure to the elements. Those are in turn used to build digital twins of ships onto which thickness measurements are overlaid to indicate which parts of the ship need the most attention.
Gecko has been approved to perform inspections on the Navy's first amphibious assault ships and Arleigh Burke class destroyers.
The company also has a contract with the US Air Force, which tapped it late last year to perform inspections at ICBM sites overseen through the [10]Sentinel Program. Gecko has also been used in the oil and gas, manufacturing and energy industries, including in the United Arab Emirates, thanks to a deal signed late last year with that country's Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology to provide its bots for infrastructure inspections.
More shipyards needed to tackle repair backlog – or maybe bots?
Admiral Daryl Caudle, commander of the US Fleet Forces Command, which oversees naval resources including personnel, training and ship maintenance, said shortly after taking command in late 2021 that the Navy should be " [11]offended " by its maintenance backlog.
[12]Japan Post closer to replacing snail mail with autonomous drones
[13]AWS wins 5-year, $700m+ contract for cloud services to US Navy
[14]Who needs sailors? US Navy's latest robo-ship can run itself for 30 days
[15]Havana Syndrome definitely (maybe) not caused by brain-scrambling energy weapons
Caudle said in early 2022 that US Naval repair resources were at capacity "so any time we insert a new ship into that, that's going to be an applecart-upsetting event, and it's going to propagate that effect throughout other major availabilities," Caudle told reporters at last year's Surface Navy Association conference.
In his [16]speech at this year's SNA conference, Caudle said things had improved – but still aren't up to snuff. He noted that 36 month maintenance availability was taking an average of 45 months and that, quite simply, the Navy needs more dry docks.
[17]
While it currently operates four, Caudle said he could do with bringing that number to six. "I've got a pretty good size Navy, too much of it's being held in abeyance in our yards," Caudle remarked. Geckos aren't shipyards, but they might still help the Navy shrink that maintenance backlog a bit.
"We must find efficiencies to restore the readiness and availability of our fleet," Caudle said. ®
Get our [18]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230325005021/en/Gecko-Robotics-Expands-Work-with-U.S.-Navy-to-Include-First-Amphibious-Assault-Ship-and-Additional-Destroyer
[2] https://www.geckorobotics.com/solutions/robots
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFSW38wiW44
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFSW38wiW44
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/RMC/CNRMC/About-Us/
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://www.afnwc.af.mil/Weapon-Systems/Sentinel-ICBM-LGM-35A/
[11] https://www.navytimes.com/digital-show-dailies/surface-navy-association/2022/01/12/navy-should-be-offended-by-its-own-maintenance-and-manning-faults-admiral-says/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/14/japan_post_wing_drones/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2022/12/20/aws_us_navy_cloud_contract/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2023/02/22/us_navy_autonomous_ship/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/02/rays_not_havana_syndrome_cause/
[16] https://www.usff.navy.mil/Press-Room/Speeches/Article/3265058/surface-navy-association-national-symposium/
[17] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[18] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The bots come from Gecko Robotics, which [1]said last week it had reached a deal with the Navy to supply it with the company's [2]Toka series bots. The devices use ultrasound sensors and wheels made from rare-earth magnets to quickly (they climb about 60 ft/18 meters per minute) and easily scale the hulls of ships in drydock for maintenance.
In a [3]video released prior to the Navy's approval of the ferritic surface-climbing bots, the company said its system can complete an inspection 10 times faster than one consisting of humans, while also collecting 1,000 times the data points. According to US Navy data cited by Gecko, the bots can reduce person hours for ship hull and rudder inspection by a whopping 36 days, and lead time for such inspections from 11 days to just one.
[4]
[5]Youtube Video
[6]
[7]
If used across [8]all four regional naval maintenance centers, the Navy could save 575 equivalent drydock days per year, Gecko claimed.
"We are proud to have a mature technology that has been tested and approved by both Navy technical leaders and the sustainment officials charged with reducing the Navy's maintenance backlog," said Jake Loosararian, Gecko's CEO and co-founder.
[9]
The US Navy had previously approved Gecko's Rapid Ultrasonic Gridding inspection process, which uses the climbing robots to collect thickness maps of material like ship hulls facing constant corrosion risks from salt water and exposure to the elements. Those are in turn used to build digital twins of ships onto which thickness measurements are overlaid to indicate which parts of the ship need the most attention.
Gecko has been approved to perform inspections on the Navy's first amphibious assault ships and Arleigh Burke class destroyers.
The company also has a contract with the US Air Force, which tapped it late last year to perform inspections at ICBM sites overseen through the [10]Sentinel Program. Gecko has also been used in the oil and gas, manufacturing and energy industries, including in the United Arab Emirates, thanks to a deal signed late last year with that country's Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology to provide its bots for infrastructure inspections.
More shipyards needed to tackle repair backlog – or maybe bots?
Admiral Daryl Caudle, commander of the US Fleet Forces Command, which oversees naval resources including personnel, training and ship maintenance, said shortly after taking command in late 2021 that the Navy should be " [11]offended " by its maintenance backlog.
[12]Japan Post closer to replacing snail mail with autonomous drones
[13]AWS wins 5-year, $700m+ contract for cloud services to US Navy
[14]Who needs sailors? US Navy's latest robo-ship can run itself for 30 days
[15]Havana Syndrome definitely (maybe) not caused by brain-scrambling energy weapons
Caudle said in early 2022 that US Naval repair resources were at capacity "so any time we insert a new ship into that, that's going to be an applecart-upsetting event, and it's going to propagate that effect throughout other major availabilities," Caudle told reporters at last year's Surface Navy Association conference.
In his [16]speech at this year's SNA conference, Caudle said things had improved – but still aren't up to snuff. He noted that 36 month maintenance availability was taking an average of 45 months and that, quite simply, the Navy needs more dry docks.
[17]
While it currently operates four, Caudle said he could do with bringing that number to six. "I've got a pretty good size Navy, too much of it's being held in abeyance in our yards," Caudle remarked. Geckos aren't shipyards, but they might still help the Navy shrink that maintenance backlog a bit.
"We must find efficiencies to restore the readiness and availability of our fleet," Caudle said. ®
Get our [18]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230325005021/en/Gecko-Robotics-Expands-Work-with-U.S.-Navy-to-Include-First-Amphibious-Assault-Ship-and-Additional-Destroyer
[2] https://www.geckorobotics.com/solutions/robots
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFSW38wiW44
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFSW38wiW44
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/RMC/CNRMC/About-Us/
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://www.afnwc.af.mil/Weapon-Systems/Sentinel-ICBM-LGM-35A/
[11] https://www.navytimes.com/digital-show-dailies/surface-navy-association/2022/01/12/navy-should-be-offended-by-its-own-maintenance-and-manning-faults-admiral-says/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/14/japan_post_wing_drones/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2022/12/20/aws_us_navy_cloud_contract/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2023/02/22/us_navy_autonomous_ship/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/02/rays_not_havana_syndrome_cause/
[16] https://www.usff.navy.mil/Press-Room/Speeches/Article/3265058/surface-navy-association-national-symposium/
[17] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_specialfeatures/defensetechweek&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZCr4Ikgr2Q3p6INlN09X6wAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[18] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Danger of Sabotage
tip pc
interesting,
hopefully the data gathered is accurate
Like everything else its the interpretation that is where the problems lie (as in horizontal).
the last 3 years is and will be testament to that.
Interesting solution
Anonymous Coward
I'm impressed. From what I can see, this solution would even suit commercial applications as both the reduced time and increased granularity of the survey could be used in seaworthiness assessments.
Nice example of a problem solved with intelligent engineering.
Re: Interesting solution
badflorist
"...problem solved...."
Any branch will tell you the biggest problem is recruitment... so more like problem worsens.
Anonymous Coward
Wow, an autonomous mobile limpet mine. Can a trained seal be used to deliver it?
So basically large versions...
Jemma
Of my little lesbian lizards - aka Mourning Geckos - this should be interesting. Especially when someone puts guns on it (they will) or gives them an AI, or both.
Still at least these ones won't show up on my ceiling at 3am chirruping at me because they got out of the viv and now they're hungry... Catching them is an acquired skill.. But the talking is cute, the thinking they can eat fingers is even cuter.
I just hope they don't go all "short circuit" on people after a thunderstorm..
Harmon20
From the video: "Mission readiness is critical for the United States Navy."
But isn't that the HMS Queen Elizabeth on the screen at 0:12 just as the narrator finishes saying that, and the RFA Tidespring alongside her?
Danger of Sabotage
My old man said that most items he witnessed being sabotaged had their maintenance backlogs automatically zeroed out with a "nah it's fine, don't do maintenance" until the system broke. The humans in the loop never picked it up because the thresholds, for example, contaminated oil, were raised to lethal levels.
Equally, pipelines exploded when thickness thresolds were zeroed. The bot doing the inspection had the triggers saying "nah, less than 1 mm is fiiiine" and the whole thing went up.
So yeah, use bots, but be sure they can't be hacked to say "10 milimeters' when the measurement device says in actuality "one milimeter". Both calibration and interpretation are subject to tampering.