DHINS Delivered to US Navy

Ocean Modules has successfully completed a final product delivery demonstration of the DHINS (Diver Hull Imaging and Navigation System) at the Norfolk Navy Base in Virginia, and shipped the first set of units to the US Navy. The system allows up to four divers to inspect a ship hull at once, while sharing voice communication, visual positional data and sonar imagery with each other as well as operators on the surface.

Ocean Modules’ industry unique software package, Spot.on, provides precise side and top view tracking of all divers on a hull drawing. Sonar images are continuously and accurately connected to their specific location along the track allowing operators and divers to quickly make an assessment and take appropriate action in any given situation.

If required, divers can disconnect the tether without losing communication and tracking between each other, and any diver can disconnect from the rest of the system without losing tracking and image collection capabilities. Upon reconnection collected data is synchronized with the surface unit.

All communication is based on standard protocols over Ethernet making the addition of new equipment extremely easy and transparent. In fact, on the day of the demonstration, an additional sonar with an Ethernet interface was provided. Adding it to the system required no modification at all, apart from installing the sonar software. The included 600 feet tether runs Ethernet over fiber, allowing practically infinite extension. An optional add-on package provides wireless capabilities allowing several observers, potentially in remote locations, to monitor the mission.

Complete setup and deployment time has been clocked at less than half an hour. The included power management equipment provides four hours of operating time without recharge.

The project included integration of navigational and sonar imaging equipment from Applied Research Laboratories of the University of Texas, as well as from Sonardyne International and BlueView Technologies.