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A master's thesis from Aalborg University
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Motion Control System (MCS): Advanced motion control system for maritime vessels

Authors

;

Term

4. term

Publication year

2013

Submitted on

Pages

105

Abstract

Maritim transport er grundlaget for den globale økonomi. Skibe gør international handel mulig og flytter råvarer rundt i verden i enorme mængder med høj effektivitet. Samtidig bliver skibene større, og mængden af last vokser, men besætningerne bliver ikke større. Dygtige søfolk er dyre og svære at rekruttere, så automatiserede systemer udfører i dag mange opgaver, som var utænkelige for ti år siden. Automatisering kan sænke omkostninger og brændstofforbrug, men den skaber også nye udfordringer. Med flere elektroniske systemer om bord bliver menneske-maskine-interaktion afgørende, og meget udstyr er i høj grad designet til maskinen frem for mennesket. Det øger risikoen for fejl, som kan føre til alvorlige ulykker til søs. Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan samspillet mellem mennesker og skibets systemer kan forbedres i kritiske manøvresituationer – en højrisikokontekst, hvor brugercentreret design er vigtigt. Projektet resulterer i et koncept til et nyt kontrolsystem, der er placeret på begge sider af skibets bro (operationskontrolrummet). Systemet gør avancerede manøvrer mere intuitive og hjælper brugeren med at bevare overblikket over skibets samlede tilstand og de ydre omgivelser.

Maritime transport underpins the global economy. Ships make international trade possible and move raw materials around the world in huge volumes with high efficiency. At the same time, vessels are getting larger and cargo loads are growing, but crew sizes are not. Skilled mariners are costly and hard to find, so automated systems now perform many tasks that were unthinkable a decade ago. Automation can reduce costs and fuel use, but it also brings new challenges. With more electronic systems on board, human-machine interaction becomes critical, and much equipment on modern vessels is still designed around the machine rather than the human. This raises the risk of errors that can lead to serious accidents at sea. This thesis explores how to improve the interaction between people and ship systems during critical maneuvering—a high-risk situation where user-centered interface design matters. The project delivers a concept for a new control system installed on both sides of the ship’s bridge (the operations control room). The system is intended to make advanced maneuvers more intuitive while helping operators maintain awareness of the ship’s overall state and the external environment.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]