Robot Vehicle Surveys Deep Sea Off Pacific Northwest
National Science Foundation (08/13/08)

Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and University of Washington have completed the first scientific mission with the robotic submarine Sentry, which helped with surveying deep-water sites for sea-floor instruments. The sites surveyed by Sentry–an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that can dive as far down as 5,000 meters–are proposed locations for underwater instruments to be deployed by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Sentry can follow pre-programmed guidance or make its own navigation decisions, and it was able to gather the most precise maps made so far of some seafloor features off the Oregon and Washington coast. "This investment into emerging technologies is paying off in delivering state-of-the-art science support," says Julie Morris, director of NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences. "In the near future, Sentry will conduct high-resolution oceanographic surveys that would be otherwise impossible." The AUV, which is powered by mor e than 1,000 lithium-ion batteries adapted for high underwater pressures, was able to dive for as long as 18 hours and 58 kilometers, and it may be able to make longer trips in the future. It boasts a hydrodynamic design for great flexibility and diving speed and is able to hover over the seafloor or move through the water like a fish or a helicopter. "Sentry is a true robot, functioning on its own in the deep water," says Rod Catanach, a WHOI engineer who works with Sentry. "The vehicle is completely on its own from the time it is unplugged on the deck and cut loose in the water."
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