Exciting news about our friends at Southern Ocean Subsea (SoSub), who have developed an ROV for salmon aquaculture net inspection and repair!
Full article at: Tasmanian Government 27feb25
Another crawlin, swimming underwater robotic prototype mimics nature
Dubbed ZodiAq, this twelve-sided robot has a soft, flexible, angled appendage of each of its sides, each connected to its own motor, allowing it to both swim and crawl without disturbing marine life on the ocean bed. This locomotion method was inspired by flagella found on bacteria.
Full article at: Hackaday.com 09apr25
Research paper at: ARVIX.org 25mar25
Chinese, shape-shifting, underwater drone uses water pressure as propulsion
We aren’t sure how this concept works but researchers at Beihang University claim to have developed a small, battery-operated, underwater drone that can not only withstand the pressures of the Mariana Trench but uses the pressure to propel itself.
The drone can also change its shape for various tasks, like using its fins to swim and glide through the water and then switching to legs for crawling along the ocean bed, like a crab.
Full article at: TheSunUK 25mar25
Schmidt Ocean Institute ROV Subastian discovered a sparkly polychaete
While exploring the Pacific Ocean in the region of Chile, Schmidt Ocean Institute scientists discovered a polychaete worm that has been described as a set of false eyelashes, a toilet scrubber or a deep sea Christmas tree.
Full article at: Earth.com nov2024
Answer to coral survival in deepwater
Did you know that corals need sunlight to survive. Corals are actually animals, with tiny, tentacle-like arms that they use to capture their food from the water and sweep into their mouths. Most corals also contain algae called zooxanthellae (pronounced zo-UH-zan-thuh-lay), which are plant-like organisms that need sunlight for photosynthesis to produce its own food / energy. The “animal” corals and “plant” algae each benefit from their symbiotic relationship, even at depths of 30m to 150m, where sunlight is scarce.
In deepwater environments, researchers from Curtin University have found that reef-building corals survive by kicking into ‘photosynthesis overdrive’ to enhance their ability to gain energy from sunlight and by upping their intake of microorganisms.
Full article at: MarineTechnologyNews 10may23
More info: NOAA Facts Are corals animals or plants?