Alternate Solution # 2

*Please note that I will be using a motor for both moving parts due to availability rather than a motor and a servo. Also, my partner ES has changed the dimensions of the vessel so some of my measurements may be incorrect, I will make changes accordingly.

Solution # 2
    Solution two has a flat bottom made of Plexiglas.  The camera will be suspended from the top of the vessel looking down onto the glass bottom.  The camera will move on two different systems to film through the Plexiglas.
     The main structure that will attach the camera and mechanisms to the vessel will be made of wood, much like the vessel.  The mechanism that will move the camera will be made of metal.  The wood can be found in the Systems lab, but the mechanical pieces will be more specialty items that will have to be ordered online, along with the camera.
     The camera will be operated on two systems; a rotating motor and a servo that will pivot the camera 180 degrees.  The camera, the camera's radio transmitter, and the part the servo will connect to and controll will be attached to the rotating motor.  Both systems will be radio controlled from the shore.  The camera will transmit the film to a TV, computer, or camcorder wirelessly.
     If the bottom of the vessel is flat and made of Plexiglas it would be less fragile than the dome and easier to replace or fix than the dome as well.  Because the systems will allow the camera to spin 360 degrees in the z plane and pivot 180 degrees in the x-y plane the camera will be able to view the entire bottom of the vessel.
     Having two systems will make operating the camera less user friendly, but should not be too difficult.  The camera will not be able to film anything other than what is below the camera, unlike in solution two.  This will limit the view of the camera.

Fig. 1: Front view

Fig. 2: Side view

Fig. 3: Top View

*All dashed lines are hidden lines



All drawings done by MM.

Log 10/22/2010

I am redrawing my alternate solutions, so that the drawings are more on par with my partner, ES's, vessel design.  I have a better idea of what kind of cameras I need to be looking for, but I am still having trouble finding the moving parts I need.  I may need to get a PTZ (pan/tilt/zoom) camera and just concern myself with building something to hold it.

Alternate Solution # 1

     Solution one has a glass dome centered on the bottom of the vessel that will be designed by my partner ES.  The camera and camera system will sit in the vessel so that the camera is in the center of the glass dome.  The dome will be clear so that the camera can film through it.

     The part that will hold the camera will be mostly constructed of wood, much like the rest of the vessel.  The actual attachment for the camera will be a ball and socket joint that will be made of metal.  This kind of joint would allow the camera to move in many different directions.  The glass dome will be blown glass that can be found at glass stores, such as Hot Sand in Asbury Park, NJ.  The glass has to be absolutely clear so that the film is not distorted.  The dome will be sealed to the wooden hull to prevent water from getting in.  The camera and camera system will be wireless and radio controlled from the shore.
     The camera will be moved on a single system.  A ball and socket joint moves on several planes and allows the camera to view the benthic organisms at many different angles.  This joint will be radio operated allowing the operators to be able to have few limitations while filming.
     This solution is good because it allows the camera to be in the middle of the action, so to speak.  The camera can film fish swimming directly next to it, not just beneath it.  Also, if the fish swims around the vessel the camera can follow it.  It can still film below the vessel, but it will not be limited to that.
     Solution one will be fragile because the glass dome will protrude from the bottom of the vessel.  There is also a possibility that the dome will create a fish-eye effect and distort the film.  The glass dome would also be heavy, which may make the vessel sit low in the water.

Fig. 1: Front view




Fig. 2: Side View



Fig. 3: Top View

*all dashed lines are hidden lines

All drawings done by MM.

Limitations

*all limits only apply to my portion of the project*

The limitations of the project are the boundaries that the project must work inside of in terms of cost and construction.

• Camera and attachment must cost under $200
• Weight of camera and attachment must not exceed rate of buoyancy
• Camera and attachment must not exceed the size of vessel
• Vessel must stay within 450 feet of radio control so that it is within range of the transmitter

Log 10/18/2010

I now have a mentor.  I will begin to move forward and start producing my model.

Background Information

Fig. 2: Barnegat Bay frozen over

Fig. 1: Sandy Hook Bay Frozen over

    
It is winter time in Sandy Hook, New Jersey and the Sandy Hook Bay has started to freeze over.  You need to observe the benthic creatures but you cannot go into the water and for the same reason you do not want to be in an open boat on the water where there is a risk of falling in.  You need a way to film the benthic creatures while remaining dry and warm; at the same time you do not want to disturb the marine life too much. 

     

Fig. 3: Ice on a bay

      My team's ROV is designed to help out in this situation.  Scientists want to preserve marine habitats, but they still need to be able to conduct research.  With an ROV there would be far less disruption than if a person were to collect information themselves.  Scientist are not the only people who would benefit from our ROV.  Scuba divers who film underwater for work or pleasure are limited to warm weather seasons in places like New Jersey where the weather can be cold and unpleasant from fall to early spring.



Fig. 4: Scuba diver filming marine life

         My team's ROV is almost essential for any biologist observing marine life.  We would provide a way for them to continue observing marine life and the marine life's behaviors even when they can't be in the water themselves.  The ROV is a remotely-operated vehicle that with be controlled from the shore.  The bottom will be made of Plexiglas and the camera and mechanism that controls the camera will be housed inside the vessel to keep it all dry.  The bottom will be clear so that the camera can easily film through it.

Fig. 5: Remote controlled toy boat

      The ROV itself will have a clean look so that it is marketable.  My portion of the ROV will be inside the vessel, so I am less concerned with aesthetics and more concerned with the way it operates.  The attachment for the camera should be smooth and compact and have a way to keep the wires from getting tangled.  The structure holding and controlling the camera should fit seamlessly with the rest of the ROV so that it is cohesive.

Fig. 6: Clear canoe

Fig. 7: Tourists observe marine 
life on glass bottom tour boat.

     As discussed in my research there are multiple examples of underwater ROVs.  We attained our original idea of a glass bottom boat from the glass bottom tour boats that allow tourists to look down onto the marine life while remaining safe and dry on the boat.

Sources:

• Figure 1: http://www.windsurfresource.com/sandy_hook.htm
• Figure 2: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqTOltULlPoRMJx8DElEc0tmLBPRifpoIBygTcaHu5y9O_MADBRBdxWgto2giv7wteyUSMwrHkLUw9_LTLdMAvGXSLQp7v-N-GyYctfdT0NpDQCpLLlGzY-WXaikBgvxglXLMEdrF5iU/s320/IMG_2622.JPG
• Figure 3: http://www.ventureout.org/image/bay.jpg
• Figure 4: http://picsdigger.com/image/379a7f46/
• Figure 5: http://images.hobbytron.com/XT-757059-lg.jpg
• Figure 6: http://www.opulentitems.com/assets/images/KayakMolokini1diff.jpg
• Figure 7: http://www.elitetoursfl.com/images/glass-bottom-boat-picture.jpg

Log 10/16/2010

Fixed specs and limits and finally posted research.  The research is not summer research because my summer research was unrelated to what the project entails now.

Log 10/8/2010

Have to complete rationale chart to finish rationale; this may take a while...

Log 10/5/2010

Just learned a way to get around the picture uploading problems; now I can put up more of my posts.

Log 10/1/2010

Yesterday, I continued my search for a mentor who knows about underwater filming.  I have two potential mentors and if they can't help me they know plenty of people who can.