Technical...

Design

A Tecnadyne tunnel thruster will provide the main thrust with model 520 DC thrusters being used for steering and maneuvering.  The system is marginally negative buoyant so that if any problems do occur with the propulsion system it will sink and be out of harms way of any swimmers.  Bilge pumps are used to keep FishCam off the floor of the pool and to give the system vertical motion capability.  Mounted inside the camera dome is a pan and tilt camera which relays video via the tether. The camera is on a stability platform which minimizes internal and external vibrations. The entire system is remotely operated and controlled by the side of the pool.

Build I

Modified bilge pumps fitted with propellers power FishCam with a control system on the side of the pool.  It has full maneuverability.  A camera is housed inside the dome which relays video by radio frequency to the side of the pool.  A second pair of (unmodified) bilge pumps are used to provide FishCam with vertical thrust.  The submersible has been designed to have slightly negative buoyancy so as not to cause any disturbance to swimmers in the event of a system failure. 

Phase I

 Target (design) speed of the world record 50m freestyle:

  • 21.13 seconds by Mark Foster of Great Britain

  • Approximately 7.77 feet per second(2.37 meters per second)

 

FishCam Design Specifications:

  • Speed- 9.843 feet per second (3 meters per second)

  • Acceleration- 3.281 feet per second2 (1 meter per second2)

  • Total weight- 32 pounds

 

Systems design and analysis:

  • Drag Analysis

  • Stability System for Camera Platform

  • Gasket for Dome

  • Electrical Schematic for Steering

  • FE analysis on dome (continuing)

Future

Systems for design/redesign:

  • Electrical and control systems

  • Camera system (to meet network standards)

  • Tecnadyne Thrusters

  • Umbilical elimination