Excavator boring Robot (ShockWave)

This autonomous system can maneuver in challenging underwater conditions such as soft mud, swamps, and coral reefs. Its articulated body allows movement along three primary axes by adjusting joint angles, enabling it to navigate and reorient as needed. Despite its considerable weight—due to internal metal components—the robot is engineered to achieve neutral buoyancy, allowing it to float and operate efficiently in water.

Equipped with multiple locomotion strategies, the robot intelligently adapts to various seabed conditions, offering reliable performance in environments that traditional equipment cannot reach.

Modular Mechanisms and Functional Components

The system consists of six integrated mechanisms that work together to enable autonomous underwater excavation:

1. Rotary Drill Head
   The primary cutting mechanism, which can be customized based on seabed material. It rotates around the robot’s central axis and transfers excavated material to the rear through a built-in helical screw system.

2. Wheel-Based Propulsion System
   A set of six wheels positioned along the robot’s body assists with traction, stability, and mileage tracking during movement through soil.

3. Vibration Release Mechanism
   This unit is activated when needed to create space around the robot in dense or compact soil, aiding release and repositioning.

4. Stabilization Blades
   These are deployable arms or pneumatic expansion systems that anchor the robot in place. Once extended into the surrounding soil, they fix the robot’s position and provide the necessary counterforce for applying thrust during the drilling sequence. This ensures stability, precise directional control, and efficient propulsion in all soil types.

5. Spiral Jack Drive
   Serving as the primary propulsion mechanism, this system features a spiral-shaped hydraulic jack that pushes excavated soil backward and drives the main body of the robot forward with each cycle.

6. End Support System
   Located at the tail end of the robot, this stabilizing mechanism ensures that the robot maintains its alignment and balance during extended operation.

Movement Cycle

The robot follows a step-based propulsion method:

• Rear stabilization blades deploy to anchor the system.

• The drill begins excavation while the spiral jack drives the body forward.

• Upon completing its stroke, front stabilizers engage and rear ones retract, enabling the next forward movement.

• Excavated material is continuously conveyed to the rear via the helical screw system.

This repeating sequence allows the robot to advance autonomously through a variety of soil and seabed types without assistance from surface infrastructure.

Intelligent Control & Data Collection

The robot is equipped with onboard electronics and intelligent sensors that monitor depth, direction, and position. Data is transmitted to the surface in real time via an optical fiber link, allowing operators to visualize the robot’s 3D path. Predefined routes based on geological data can also be programmed, enabling autonomous navigation through complex subsurface environments.

All mechanisms are powered by an internal hydraulic system, ensuring reliable force generation and motion control throughout the operation.

Applications

• Subsea excavation without external hydraulic propulsion

• Penetration through mud, swamps, and coral structures

• Recovery of sunken ships and heavy submerged objects

• Cable or pipeline routing beneath the seabed

• Targeted soil sampling in difficult-to-access underwater locations

One of the most impactful applications of this system is in removing sunken vessels. After 3D modeling and volume analysis of the submerged object, the robot excavates beneath the hull and threads a steel cable. This allows connection of flotation systems or lifting mechanisms, offering a practical and cost-saving solution for recovery operations.