Haugesund Simulatorcenter buys FGRL's DeepTouch

Fugro General Robotics Limited (FGRL), the leading supplier of subsea simulators, has won an order from the Haugesund Simulatorcenter AS for a DeepTouch ROV simulator.

DeepTouch will be integrated to run synchronously with a Kongsberg offshore vessel simulator providing a seamless operations training platform in Haugesund in Norway.

FGRL and Kongsberg Maritime have already designed the dynamics and control interface that will allow the two systems to share dynamic information. This will ensure that they remain in step with each other, both during a training mission, or subsequently as a mission is rewound to take participants through a detailed operational review after the event. For example, a trainee crane operator may drive the Kongsberg crane simulator to put the ROV over the side of the vessel, paying out umbilical cable from the winch.

The umbilical payout is passed to DeepTouch which simulates lowering the TMS (tether management system) down to the right depth to carry out the mission.

The ROV pilot will fly his vehicle to carry out the mission, talking to the crane operator and vessel supervisor as required to communicate mission critical information. Since the systems are dynamically linked, if the crane operator makes a mistake, and winches in the ROV umbilical unexpectedly the pilot will see his ROV pulled in response.

DeepTouch will be set up to work with a standard Argus ROV console in the Haugesund Simulator Center, but uniquely, it can also be switched to connect remotely to a DeepOcean Kystdesign Installer console located one mile away in DeepOcean's training centre. This requires a seamless interface between the local and remote consoles.

"This project marks a really exciting development milestone; the full integration between the Kongsberg Vessel simulator and FGRL's DeepTouch simulator requiring the amalgamation of two virtual worlds from different suppliers.

"This will allow full multi-disciplinary training to co-ordinate operations both above and below the surface," said Dr Jason Tisdall, FGRL Managing Director. "I believe that switching between local and remote consoles to maximise system productivity is also an Industry first."

Mr Soren Einar Veierland, Business Manager, Simulation & Training at Kongsberg Maritime said "Interfacing the FGRL ROV simulator with the Kongsberg offshore vessel and crane simulator completes the suite of simulators, allowing the Centre to offer the offshore industry a unique platform for mission planning and training of simultaneous marine and subsea operations through simulation".

Source: Fugro General Robotics