FORSSEA ROBOTICS and GMS announce the creation of an underwater vision & photogrammetry joint laboratory

19.11.2018


Offshore robotics company FORSSEA ROBOTICS chose GMS as main technical partner to certify its real-time visual positioning technologies. A joint laboratory will be created to develop a common offer covering camera calibration, subsea image treatment and innovative photogrammetry solutions.

FORSSEA ROBOTICS decided last year to adapt their Atoll ROV embedded visual docking technology into a stand-alone product. The company was already manufacturing and commercializing underwater cameras, mainly for R&D underwater vision applications.

The so-called “V-LOC” technology (stands for Visual LOCalization) has been designed for quick and operational use. One operator sticks the marker on the structure and the camera computes the 6-degree coordinates in real-time on the user screen. Following offshore tests last April, FORSSEA decided to increase the initial performance prior to commercialization. “We received an enormous operational interest from offshore operators. To cover more applications, operators quickly asked us to improve our system down to .1° and 1mm positioning accuracy at 3m ROV flying distance”, explains Gautier Dreyfus, CEO of FORSSEA. “GMS brings us extraordinary experience and know-how to improve our accuracy at every step of the process, from the marker itself to the optical sensor”.

FORSSEA and GMS recently organized underwater trials with conclusive results. These results will be communicated to client as offshore pilots shall be organized early 2019.

“GMS track-record is very relevant when it comes to subsea. So much need to be implemented while too few photogrammetry experts are invited to the discussion table. Working with FORSSEA was quite natural, as their know-how and technology are very complementary to our expertise. And they are in the spotlight at the moment!” said Frédéric Jallon, Technical Director at GMS.



NAV CAM, the 1st all-in-one computer vision control center
FORSSEA will soon release the NAV CAM (Navigation Camera), an innovative all-in-one ROV/AUV visual based navigation control center, with high grade calibrated optics, embedded image treatment capacity, pressure sensor and IMU. The NAV CAM has been designed to as a ROV plug-and-play system. It will be compatible with Gyros for survey applications such as subsea asset’s altitude and heading monitoring.

About FORSSEA ROBOTICS
FORSSEA was launched in May 2016 to develop innovative technology to reduce subsea operating costs in the offshore niche markets. FORRSEA has a non-exclusive strategic alliance SEAROV OFFSHORE (now part of DEEPOCEAN GROUP) which operates underwater vehicles (ROV) in West Africa and South-East Asia. Through its specialized research and development team currently comprising 14 professionals, FORSSEA focuses on embedded hardware with high computing capacity and innovative control algorithms. Proof that FORSSEA is under the spotlight, the startup was awarded last April in Milan during the MCE Deepwater Development conference. Moreover, the American magazine Marine technology Review recently selected FORSSEA as one of the top 5 to watch in 2019 as part as the top 100 world underwater companies.

About Géodésie Maintenance Services (GMS)
GMS was established in 1998 after an expertise dating from 1985 in the Industrial Photogrammetry (Close Range Photogrammetry). Throughout this expertise, GMS has contributed to the development of photogrammetry by inventing innovative non-contact measurement systems, algorithms and patented tools.

Through all these years, GMS has become a privileged partner of the aeronautical, space and nuclear industries, with a particular know-how dedicated to hazardous environments (radioactive, thermal vacuum, ...). GMS is very enthusiastic to collaborate with FORSSEA in the development of new underwater 3D measurement technologies.

Location: Paris & Nantes, France









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