Archive > January 2007, Volume 11, number 1 > Note of The Editor (‘As it was’ by Admiral Steve Ritchie)
Note of The Editor (‘As it was’ by Admiral Steve Ritchie)
01/01/2007
Leeke van der Poel
Frequently we have positive feedback on our column “As it Was” by Admiral Steve Ritchie. You as reader have enjoyed this column now for 10 years and although Admirals never retire and Steve is a good example of this (see e.g. the photo of him dancing at HYDRO´06 at page 41) Steve likes to step down as columnist and hand over the stick to another person. After so many columns not only in Hydro international but also in our “Show Daily´s” at e.g. the Oceanology International Exhibitions we could not refuse his request.
As a tribute to him (Steve and the column “As it Was” are a unity) we decided to stop with the column. We know this will be a disappointment for you our readers but if you want to re-enjoy his first 40+-columns see his book “As it Was”, which is available from “the bookstore” at our website. He assured us of always being present to give advice and autograph his books The Admiralty Chart and No day too long.
The title No day too long - a book which I read with much pleasure and heartily recommend to you - came to my mind at last HYDRO´06 in Antwerp when at 01.30 hrs after a dinner with RBI-staff, Adam Kerr - the editor of the International Hydrographic Review - and me, we all went for a ‘one for the road’ to a nearby Irish pub. Steve with a well trained endurance by long hydrography days enjoyed himself very much despite the time of day.
Admiral Steve Ritchie: On behalf of all our readers may I thank you most heartily for all the reading pleasure you have given us. Your column was a main stay in our editorial board planning as your contribution was always well in time, no doubt about that.
The ROAZ Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) research program, focuses on marine robotics systems, namely design issues in surface autonomous robots, navigation and control problems, multiple (and eventually heterogeneous) robot coordination and environmental perception questions.
The application of autonoous systems in the marine environment for scientific, security, inspection and rescue missions is addressed.
Two autonomous surface robots where developed at Autonomous Systems Laboratory from ISEP - IPP (Porto Polytechnic Institute): ROAZ ASV a small size autonomous surface boat and the ocean operations ROAZ II ASV.
The autonomous marine surface robots were designed for environmental monitoring, bathymetry, science data gathering, search and rescue support and security missions. The ocean capable twin-hull ROAZ II has a set of sensors, ranging from thermographic camera, sidescan sonar to CTD allowing a diversified set o missions. The vehicles have performed several real operational scenario missions, from harbor security, bathymetry, autonomous AUV docking or technical demonstration in cooperation with the Portuguese navy in NATO Swordfish 06 exercises.
