Underwater Robots to Identify Threats

Underwater Robots

Underwater laser networking and imaging technologies are being created to quickly identify and monitor potential threats in dark coastal waters.

Once finished, the laser imaging networks will be placed onboard a team of small underwater robots to be used for US military operations to find mines and enhance the security of coastal waters and ports. Images of suspicious objects can be transmitted immediately to a command centre for analysis.

“Underwater mines pose a major threat to U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and merchant fleets … using intelligent, adaptive laser imaging and communication techniques with swarms of co-operating underwater robots could provide identification-quality underwater imagery in real-time across much greater regions of seabed than current technology allows,” said Dr Fraser Dalgleish, principal investigator and assistant research professor at the Ocean Visibility and Optics Laboratory, Florida Atlantic University, USA.

Other uses include ecosystem monitoring and environmental assessment.

Underwater Robots