This month in Monterey Bay, Calif., a fleet of undersea robots is for the first time working together without the aid of humans to make detailed and efficient observations of the ocean.
“It’s thrilling,” said Naomi Ehrich Leonard, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton and co-leader of the project. “The fact that six of these underwater gliders are being coordinated with humans completely out of the loop is unique.” Leonard and co-leader Steven Ramp, of the Naval Postgraduate School, briefed members of media Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
The oceanographic test site is yielding rich information about a periodic upwelling of cold water that occurs at this time of year near Point Año Nuevo, northwest of Monterey Bay. Upwelling events cause plankton to “bloom,” providing a rich source of food for the fisheries and wildlife in the area.
Posted by Lorene Lavora
I think undersea robots are the future of marine research, I was so impressed when I first saw the XRay tested in Monterey Bay, I wish more talented students had access to such high-tech equipment.
Chris Rogers - National Marine Engineers Beneficial Association
This sounds fascinating, having studied marine biology myself at University, how do you keep these robots waterproof? They must have to withstand a lot of water pressure? I work in the basement waterproofing industry now, doing cellar conversions and other basement waterproofing work and know how difficult just a little bit of water pressure at bay.
I enjoy a bit of scuba diving too!
Any new since 2006?
Amazing stuff, apparently their are thousands of undiscovered species down there. I wonder if this sub also also maps every element of the ocean floor ready to be computer modelled and therefore understood in geological as well as environmental detail.