Interaction between Prometheus 2.0 rover devices. Hardware/software assembly and communication.

The Prometheus 2.0 rover represents Axist’s solution for offshore measurements and constitutes a significant step forward in the development of mobile robotic platforms dedicated to inspection and metrological applications. Compared to its predecessor, the system introduces a more advanced hardware/software architecture able to improve motion control, measurement processes, and operator feedback. A key case study is the monitoring of flange ovalization inside monopiles, a critical task in offshore wind energy structures, where traditional measurement methods prove impractical. The rover’s architecture is based on distributed microcontrollers, Ethernet communication, and a dedicated workstation for supervision and data storage. Within this configuration, particular attention was given not only to the design of the subsystems, such as the azimuth and elevation servos coupled with the Ovality Box and the power management unit, but also to the complete study, design, and validation of all hardware connections and cabling, carried out during the development process to guarantee electrical robustness, signal integrity, and operational safety. A central aspect of the control system is the implementation of a Kalman filter, employed to estimate wheel velocity and compensate for noise in sensor data. This recursive approach, lightweight yet robust, allows the rover to refine its motion feedback, ensuring consistency between commanded movements and measured displacements. Together with structured PPM (Pulse Position Modulation) signal parsing and carefully designed communication packets, the filter strengthens the reliability of the entire feedback loop, which is essential to provide the operator with real-time awareness of the rover’s state. Finally, the thesis outlines possible directions for future development. Among these, attention is given to the centralization of control on industrial-grade platforms and to the adoption of advanced perception systems. Although not yet implemented, these improvements delineate a trajectory for further increasing the rover’s autonomy, robustness, and long-term applicability in complex industrial environments.