Robots
Fraunhofer experts explore the world's oceans
Fraunhofer IOSB is the only team from Germany to have qualified for the semi-finals of the Shell Ocean Discovery XPrize. This highly remunerated international competition recognizes innovations for research into the seas and oceans.
In the Shell Ocean Discovery XPrize, teams from all over the world compete to create the most detailed 3D maps of the seabed to date using specially developed deep-sea robots in order to advance ocean exploration. Out of more than 50 original teams, 32 were selected for the preliminary round. Now 21 participants remain who have qualified for the main round of the competition, including only four European teams. With the multinational 'Arggonauts', the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB is the only team from Germany. Under the leadership of physicist Dr. Gunnar Brink, Head of Strategy and Innovation at Fraunhofer IOSB, the 'Arggonauts' are in the race with a specially developed swarm of networked deep-sea robot drones.
The deep-sea robot swarm developed for the 'Shell Ocean Discovery XPrize' is based on two of the institute's previous projects: As part of 'TieTek', basic technologies for pressure-neutral, modular autonomous deep-sea underwater vehicles were created. On this basis, the marketable diving robot 'Dedave' and its associated carrier vehicle were developed in another project. For the new fleet, the researchers are now further modifying and optimizing the existing technology, particularly with regard to vehicle dimensions, data processing and sensor technology. The carrier system is also being revised: While all conventional exploration robots require large and expensive mother ships for deployment and recovery at the mission site, the 'Arggonauts' will use small autonomous carrier vehicles for this purpose.
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