When people think of robotics, they often picture complex machines performing a variety of tasks, from lifting heavy objects to delicate operations like soldering or even surgery. In recent years, the scope of what people imagine robots doing has expanded to a new and exciting frontier in space - think the Mars rover or far-reaching satellites. However, there is another vast, unexplored world that robots are starting to explore, and it is much closer to home.

You’ve probably read before that over eighty percent of Earth’s oceans are still entirely unexplored - depending on how one defines “unexplored”, this number can reach as high as ninety-five percent! There are a variety of reasons behind this, first among them that ocean exploration can be very dangerous for human divers. In recent decades, however, roboticists have made great strides towards addressing this issue through the creation of unmanned, remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs.

These ROVs, a type of robot designed to be operated remotely in the ocean by a human pilot or even an autonomous program, facilitate a variety of tasks that were previously difficult to carry out. In terms of research, ROVs are able to easily access areas of the ocean that are too dangerous or too difficult for humans to visit. Using a range of sensors, ROVs collect valuable information about the circulation of ocean waters, ocean temperature, salinity, the contents of ocean sentiment, and much more. They can also create scans of the ocean’s floor, which has actually been mapped in far less detail than Earth’s moon!

ROVs are not just useful for recording ocean conditions; they can also be used to observe ocean life. These robots can reach depths that would be highly dangerous and inefficient to humans, and spend extended periods of time watching and recording marine life. When ROVs discover new species, they also help expeditionists extend protections to species that could previously have been at risk. Entire unexplored areas of the ocean are now being found, categorized, and protected because of the work done by ROVs. In terms of environmental impact, ROVs can also help measure the effects of climate change in Earth’s oceans, making a compelling case for reducing pollution.

Underwater robots come in a range of shapes and sizes, from robots the size of a soccer ball to a small car. The size and shape of these robots is customizable based on their function, which can be anything from inspecting and repairing ships to identifying precious metals for future mining. In the past, ROVs have been used to perform many vital functions, including the successful recovery of a lost nuclear device. There is no telling what the future holds for underwater robotics, but their utility and effectiveness have already proven them invaluable in understanding and protecting the planet’s oceans.