First Atlantic Cross by a Submersible Robot
First Atlantic Cross by a Submersible Robot avatar

By , on December 21st, 2009 Leave a comment   Expeditions, Gadgets & Gear, Scientist!, Vessels and Equipment   , , , ,  

She was at sea for 221 days. She was alone, often in dangerous places, and usually out of touch. Her predecessor had disappeared on a similar trip, probably killed by a shark. Yet she was always able to do what was asked, to head in a different direction on a moment’s notice and report back . . . → Read More: First Atlantic Cross by a Submersible Robot

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Hosta la Vista, Nereus
Hosta la Vista, Nereus avatar

By , on November 17th, 2009 Leave a comment   Expeditions, Vessels and Equipment   , , ,  

Wood’s Hole’s Nereus was offloaded off the R/V Cape Hatteras today. Stood by to watch it get packed up. It was a tight fit with little room for error! The Nereus is a hybrid AUV/ROV that was just out to Cayman Rise where it was used to help discover new vents in the Caribbean! To . . . → Read More: Hosta la Vista, Nereus

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The New Navy Has Both Faster and Unmanned Subs
The New Navy Has Both Faster and Unmanned Subs avatar

By , on July 29th, 2009 2 comments   Gadgets & Gear, Industry & Government, Vessels and Equipment   , , , , , , , , , , ,  

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which commissions research for the Defense Department, gave Electric Boat a truckload of money in 2006 to design a small submarine to transport people and cargo at 100 knots (about 115 miles an hour). The program name…Underwater Express. Not the most imaginative name. I would have went with Rapid . . . → Read More: The New Navy Has Both Faster and Unmanned Subs

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Deep-Sea Transformer Sets Record
Deep-Sea Transformer Sets Record avatar

By , on June 10th, 2009 3 comments   Vessels and Equipment   , , , , , , , , , , ,  

At the beginning of May we discussed Nereus, the new $5 million hybrid-transformer-multipurpose-all knowing-swiss army knife of deep-sea research from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. The autonomous vehicle can switch between an autonomous underwater vehicle (unteathered to the surface) to a remote operated vehicle (tethered) depending on the mission. At that time, the goal was . . . → Read More: Deep-Sea Transformer Sets Record

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Transformers Into the Deep
Transformers Into the Deep avatar

By , on May 7th, 2009 2 comments   Expeditions, Vessels and Equipment   , , , , , , , , ,  

From BBC News… If successful, Nereus will be the first autonomous vehicle to visit the 11,000m (36,089ft) Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean. Only two other vehicles have ever visited the spot before, both of them human operated. The $5m submarine will make the attempt in late May or early June after a series . . . → Read More: Transformers Into the Deep

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