UK subsea technology company Rovco has secured Innovate UK funding to develop a 3D visualisation system as part of a two-part artificial intelligence (AI) offshore inspection demonstrator project.
Rovco will work in partnership with the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult on the first phase of the project to develop the equipment and software required to produce live 3D data from challenging and extreme subsea environments.
The technology will be trialled at ORE Catapult’s renewable energy test facility in Blyth.
Innovate UK will support 70% of the first phase, with Rovco providing the remaining 30%.
The second phase aims to develop of a 3D vision-based survey solution using AI that could reduce offshore inspection costs by up to 80%, the company said.
It added that Innovate UK is expected to back phase two, once technical feasibility is proven.
Rovco plans to partner with an autonomous vehicle manufacturer and other subsea companies during the second stage of the project.
Rovco chief executive and founder Brian Allen said: “We aim to deliver a step change in how offshore surveys are performed by generating live 3D data from survey-class ROVs to increase efficiencies, reduce costs and minimise risks.”
Innovate UK is a government-backed organisation supporting businesses in the development of potential of new technologies.
Image: Rovco
UK backs Rovco 3D view
By EBS