My role
Co-first author — grasping-force analysis, mechanism design of the deployable landing station, prototyping, and underwater docking test
Objective
Let a submarine recover AUVs directly with a docking station that folds compactly (< 200 mm tall) to limit drag, yet deploys a large capture envelope that tolerates underwater positioning uncertainty.
Approach
Two decoupled mechanisms are designed: a modified six-sided Sarrus linkage funnel gives single-actuator, dual-stage deployment for a wide guide, while a bistable landing station passively captures the AUV without extra sensors.
