Objective To achieve greater autonomy many robotics systems designed for complex and hostile surroundings require the integration of disparate subsystems, such as locomotion systems, manipulation sets and a wide range of sensors. Underwater technology is a framework within which one can explore the best way to integrate disparate and heterogeneous sensing and acting sub-systems in order to perform autonomous intelligent operation and navigation tasks. UNION aims to build coordinated control strategies for heterogeneous vehicle-manipulators systems, to integrate data from different sensors, and to study man-machine interface and programming tools to manage a mission and all the systems involved in it.APPROACH AND METHODS On the one hand, previous European projects (Eureka 191.MAZSTI 900030, MAST2, 920021 and 920028) led to the feasibility for autonomous underwater vehicle development from global architectural point of view, with partial validation on an experimental demonstrator. On the other, research into the information and signal processing aspects, and control schemes for autonomous ground vehicles is much more mature with theoretical and methodogical approaches implemented on numerous laboratory prototypes (PANORAMA, MARIE CIN, FIRST, INSIGHT, ERS's, ESPRIT II). The approach and methods used in UNION consist in a merge of research in ground robot control, programming, navigation, perception and manipulation, with operational subsea technology. It aims to build a coherent framework for theoretical and methodological control and perception functions design. POTENTIAL The knowledge gained from these studies will provide new insights into theories and models for the design of heterogeneous underwater systems, including different kinds of sensors and actuators with complex autonomous or teleprogrammed missions. Fields of science engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsignal processingengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringrobotics Programme(s) FP3-ESPRIT 3 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of information technologies, 1990-1994 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator IFREMER - INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DE RECHERCHE POUR L'EXPLOITATION DE LA MER EU contribution No data Address Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau 155, Technopolis 40 92138 ISSY LES MOULINEAUX France See on map Total cost No data Participants (6) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) France EU contribution No data Address 1919 route de Mende 34033 Montpellier See on map Total cost No data HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address RICCARTON EH14 4AS EDINBURGH See on map Total cost No data Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique - INRIA France EU contribution No data Address Domaine de Voluceau-Rocquencourt 78153 Le Chesnay See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Technische Universitaet Muenchen Germany EU contribution No data Address Lichtenbergstrasse 4 85748 Garching See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA Spain EU contribution No data Address BAR See on map Total cost No data University of Oxford United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Wellington Square OX1 3QD Oxford See on map Total cost No data