Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
- (Salem, Massachusetts - ROC (Taiwan) Student Association of MIT)
- Overview
An Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) is a robotic, untethered underwater vehicle that can operate independently, following pre-programmed instructions to explore the ocean depths without requiring real-time control from a human operator; essentially, it's a self-navigating underwater robot used for research and data collection, often equipped with sensors like cameras and sonar to map the seabed or study marine life.
Key features about AUVs:
- Untethered: Unlike Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), AUVs are not connected to a surface vessel by a cable, allowing them to explore larger areas freely.
- Pre-programmed missions: Before deployment, AUVs are programmed with instructions on where to go, what data to collect, and what depth to reach.
- Sensor capabilities: AUVs can carry various sensors including sonar, cameras, and environmental sensors to collect data on the underwater environment.
- Applications: Oceanographic research, seabed mapping, pipeline inspection, marine archaeology, military applications like mine detection.
[More to come ...]
