Abstract
In recent years, the research community, but also the general public, has raised serious questions about the reproducibility and replicability of scientific work. Since many studies include some kind of computational work, these issues are also a technological challenge, not only in computer science, but also in most research domains. Computational replicability and reproducibility are not easy to achieve due to the variety of computational environments that can be used. Indeed, it is challenging to recreate the same environment via the same frameworks, code, programming languages, dependencies, and so on. We propose a framework, known as SciRep, that supports the configuration, execution, and packaging of computational experiments by defining their code, data, programming languages, dependencies, databases, and commands to be executed. After the initial configuration, the experiments can be executed any number of times, always producing exactly the same results. Our approach allows the creation of a reproducibility package for experiments from multiple scientific fields, from medicine to computer science, which can be re-executed on any computer. The produced package acts as a capsule, holding absolutely everything necessary to re-execute the experiment. To evaluate our framework, we compare it with three state-of-the-art tools and use it to reproduce 18 experiments extracted from published scientific articles. With our approach, we were able to execute 16 (89%) of those experiments, while the others reached only 61%, thus showing that our approach is effective. Moreover, all the experiments that were executed produced the results presented in the original publication. Thus, SciRep was able to reproduce 100% of the experiments it could run. © 2025 The Authors

Abstract

Abstract
Underwater exploration is vital for advancing scientific understanding of marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and oceanic processes. Autonomous underwater vehicles and sensor platforms play a crucial role in continuous monitoring, but their operational endurance is often limited by energy constraints. Various control strategies have been proposed to enhance energy efficiency, including robust and optimal controllers, energy-optimal model predictive control, and disturbance-aware strategies. Recent work introduced a variable structure depth controller for a sensor platform with a variable buoyancy module, resulting in a 22% reduction in energy consumption. This paper extends that work by providing a formal stability proof for the proposed switching controller, ensuring safe and reliable operation in dynamic underwater environments. In contrast to the conventional approach used in controller stability proofs for switched systems-which typically relies on the existence of multiple Lyapunov functions-the method developed in this paper adopts a different strategy. Specifically, the stability proof is based on a novel analysis of the system's trajectory in the net buoyancy force-versus-depth error plane. The findings were applied to a depth-controlled sensor platform previously developed by the authors, using a well-established system model and considering physical constraints. Despite adopting a conservative approach, the results demonstrate that the control law can be implemented while ensuring formal system stability. Moreover, the study highlights how stability regions are affected by different controller parameter choices and mission requirements, namely, by determining how these aspects affect the bounds of the switching control action. The results provide valuable guidance for selecting the appropriate controller parameters for specific mission scenarios.

Abstract
Underwater exploration relies heavily on autonomous underwater vehicles and sensor platforms for sustained monitoring of marine environments, yet their operational duration is limited by energy constraints. To enhance energy efficiency, various control strategies have been proposed, including robust, optimal, and disturbance-aware approaches. Recent work introduced a variable structure controller (VSC) with a constant-amplitude control action for depth control of a platform equipped with a variable buoyancy module, achieving an average 22% reduction in energy use in comparison with conventional PID-based controllers. In a separate paper, the conditions for its closed-loop stability were proven. This study extends these works by proposing a controller with a variable-amplitude control action designed to minimize energy consumption. A formal proof of stability is provided to guarantee safe operation even under conservative assumptions. The controller is applied to a previously developed depth-regulated sensor platform using a validated physical model. Additionally, this study analyzes how the controller parameters and mission requirements affect stability regions, offering practical guidelines for parameter tuning. A method to estimate oscillation amplitude during hovering tasks is also introduced. Simulation trials validate the proposed approach, showing energy savings of up to 16% when compared to the controller using a constant-amplitude control action.

Abstract
Due to space and energy restrictions, lightweight autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are usually fitted with low-power processing units, which limits the ability to run demanding applications in real time during the mission. However, several robotic perception tasks reveal a parallel nature, where the same processing routine is applied for multiple independent inputs. In such cases, leveraging parallel execution by offloading tasks to a GPU can greatly enhance processing speed. This article presents a collection of generic matrix manipulation kernels, which can be combined to develop parallelized perception applications. Taking advantage of those building blocks, we report a parallel implementation for the 3DupIC algorithm-a probabilistic scan matching method for sonar scan registration. Tests demonstrate the algorithm's real-time performance, enabling 3D sonar scan matching to be executed in real time onboard the EVA AUV.

Abstract
This work presents a bio-inspired Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) concept called Raya that enables high manoeuvrability required for close-range inspection and intervention tasks, while fostering endurance for long-range operations by enabling efficient navigation. The AUV has an estimated terminal velocity of 0.82 m/s in an optimal environment, and a capacity to acquire visual data and sonar measurements in all directions. Raya was designed with the potential to incorporate an electric manipulator arm of 6 degrees of freedom (DoF) for free-floating underwater intervention. Smart and biologically inspired principles applied to morphology and a strategic thruster configuration assure that Raya is capable of manoeuvring in all 6 DoFs even when equipped with a manipulator with a 5 kg payload. Extensive experiments were conducted using simulation tools and real-life environments to validate Raya's requirements and functionalities. The stresses and displacements of the rigid bodies were analysed using finite element analysis (FEA), and an estimation of the terminal forward velocity was achieved using a dynamic model. To assess the accuracy of the perception system, a reconstruction task took place in an indoor pool, resulting in a 3D reconstruction with average length, width, and depth errors below 1. 5%. The deployment of Raya in the ATLANTIS Coastal Testbed and Porto de Leix & otilde;es allowed the validation of the propulsion system and the gathering of valuable 2D and 3D data, thus proving the suitability of the vehicle for operation and maintenance (O&M) activities of underwater structures.