A material recognition method for underwater application based on Micro Thermoelectric Generator

Many complex ocean conditions, such as low brightness and ultra-high-water pressure, hinder human explora-tion of the underwater world. Underwater material recognition technology is the key to exploring the underwater world as support. This paper proposes a theory of underwater material recognition based on the thermoelectric effect. Based on the above theory, a prototype is designed, and its performance under common marine conditions is tested. The results show that the prototype can accurately recognize three different types of typical materials, which are thermostatic animals, non-metal materials and metal materials within 2 s. The prototype has the advantages of accurate recognition, low cost, and easy maintenance. While various materials have complex surface morphology in the application, a flexible thermal conductive material proposed by this paper can enhance recognition accuracy. Through the experimental verification, a recognition device with a flexible contact surface made of flexible thermal conductive material has been more effective.