Fugro Subsea Services to Produce Subsea Simulation Game (UK)

Fugro Subsea Services to Produce Subsea Simulation Game (UK)

Fugro Subsea Services Ltd was commissioned to produce a subsea simulation game for the recently reopened and extended Energy Exploration exhibition area at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum in Scotland.

The museum uses Fugro’s DeepWorks simulator to provide visitors with a realistic ROV piloting experience and an engaging challenge. Multiple displays provide different underwater views from the remotely operated vehicle’s cameras and sonar. A synchronised video provides an introduction to ROV pilot training, as well as instructions for the game.

To help the public appreciate the critical role ROVs play in remote intervention, especially in hazardous environments, the player is asked to fly an ROV to a Blowout Preventer and operate a valve to stop a leak. The player has to manoeuvre the ROV into position using joysticks and “bump” the valve with a tool to activate it which in turn closes off the leak.

To appreciate how ROV operations need to be completed efficiently, the challenge is time-bounded so the player only has 3 minutes to complete the task. This, of course, also helps to ensure everyone gets a chance to play.

To understand how difficult these operations can be for real and to engage visitors of all ages and ability, three levels of difficulty can be selected. The “easy” level offers good situational awareness, high visibility and no currents; the “medium” level restricts the view to on-board camera views only, has reduced visibility and introduces mild currents; the “hard” level relies more heavily on the sonar for navigation, applies stronger, more complex currents and requires the pilot to make lots of course and heading corrections to ensure a successful intervention.

“The Aberdeen Maritime Museum game is great fun and a test of skill and hand-eye coordination in three dimensions in which speed, visibility and currents are constantly changing. And, as in the real world, time is of the essence,” said Dr Jason Tisdall, Robotic Technologies Business Line Manager with FSSL. “But the game has an educational side too, as it gives young people a feel for what piloting a ROV is really like and may inspire some of them to consider a career in the offshore oil and gas industry.”

Meredith Greiling, curator of Maritime History at Aberdeen Maritime Museum said: “The Fugro simulator game is a fantastic addition to the museum. We are always keen to be authentic and accurate in what we do, so we are very proud to say that this is the same software that real ROV pilots use for training. Games are a great way to explain complex ideas to a wide audience and we have already seen visitors of all ages having a go at piloting an ROV. There is also a bit of competition between staff to get the best time.”

[mappress]

Press Release, May 31, 2013