Engineers look to the ocean as a testbed for new autonomous technologies. These technologies will help us explore Earth’s seafloors, as well as advance the future exploration of ocean-covered worlds elsewhere in our solar system. The field of ocean science is continually moving towards greater automation and the ability to do more science more efficiently. Dr. Richard Camilli, of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (as well as his team from the Australian Centre for Field Robotics, University of Michigan, and MIT) have been instrumental in demonstrating the use of intelligent, data-driven robotic tools to monitor and understand the ocean in areas that are otherwise inaccessible to humans. This expedition, the team is building on those advances using multiple types of robotic vehicles operating autonomously in hazardous environments.

A suite of gliders is being used along with ROV SuBastian, operating in coordination to hone in and identify specific habitats around the Cocos Ridge – a continuous arc of subsea volcanoes and hydrothermal vents. This is a complex environment with irregular, high-relief formations. By exploring, observing, and sampling the area, the team seeks to answer questions about what is allowing the organisms to survive and thrive, and explaining reasons for why certain species are in specific areas.

This expedition has allowed the team to go to new areas and observe situations no one has seen before. So far, autonomous underwater manipulation tasks such as sample collection have only been demonstrated in controlled laboratory settings, and underwater vehicles using these advanced forms of autonomy have never been deployed in such a complex and potentially hazardous terrain. This expedition has important and lasting impacts on both ocean science and broad uses of robotic vehicles. The lessons learned here could very well be used to explore other ocean worlds on the moons of Saturn and Jupiter.

ROV SuBastian Dive 202 – Costa Rican Shelf Break
Date: 12/12/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Jaco Scar Crest
Depth: To 1400m
Work Completed: The team explored an expected steep fault scarp for future autonomous missions. Viewed an assortment of life: clam, tubeworms, microbial mats, mussels, and carbonate crusts. Also explored rugged topography for unknown seep sites.

ROV SuBastian Dive 203 – Costa Rican Shelf Break – Jaco Scar Crest
Date: 12/15/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Jaco Scar Crest
Depth: To 750m
Work Completed:  Explored seep site for calibration of future autonomous glider missions. Saw an assortment of clam, tubeworms, microbial mats, mussels, and carbonate crusts. Testing a subsea mass spectrometer and collecting push-core and water samples based on data. Tests the newly installed 3D camera system to record arm manipulation for future autonomous environment manipulation algorithms.

ROV SuBastian Dive 204 – Costa Rican Shelf Break
Date: 12/16/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Costa Rican Shelf
Depth: ~ 900m
Work Completed:  Explored seep site for calibration of future autonomous glider missions. Saw an assortment of clam, tubeworms, microbial mats, mussels, and carbonate crusts. Testing a subsea mass spectrometer and collecting push-core and water samples based on data. Tests the newly installed 3D camera system to record arm manipulation for future autonomous environment manipulation algorithms.

ROV SuBastian Dive 205 – Costa Rican Shelf Break
Date: 12/17/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Costa Rican Shelf
Depth: ~ 750m
Work Completed: Explored multiple sites where the multibeam sonars have identified bubble seeps. Additional waypoints along the dive track were picked by the automated mission planner. We tested a subsea mass spectrometer and collecting push-core and water samples based on data. We also continued testing the installed 3D camera system to record arm manipulation for future autonomous environment manipulation algorithms.

ROV SuBastian Dive 206 – Costa Rican Shelf Break
Date: 12/18/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Costa Rican Shelf
Depth: ~ 700m
Work Completed: Explored multiple sites where the multibeam sonars have identified bubble seeps. Additional waypoints along the dive track were picked by the automated mission planner. We tested a subsea mass spectrometer and collecting push-core and water samples based on data. We also continued testing the installed 3D camera system to record arm manipulation for future autonomous environment manipulation algorithms.

ROV SuBastian Dive 207 – Costa Rican Shelf Break
Date: 12/19/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Costa Rican Shelf
Depth: ~ 1000 m
Work Completed: Explored multiple sites where the multibeam sonars have identified bubble seeps. Additional waypoints along the dive track were picked by the automated mission planner. We tested a subsea mass spectrometer and collecting push-core and water samples based on data. We also continued testing the installed 3D camera system to record arm manipulation for future autonomous environment manipulation algorithms.

ROV SuBastian Dive 208 – Costa Rican Shelf Break
Date: 12/20/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Costa Rican Shelf
Depth: ~ 1000 m
Work Completed: Explored multiple sites where the multibeam sonars have identified bubble seeps. Additional waypoints along the dive track were picked by the automated mission planner. We tested a subsea mass spectrometer and collecting push-core and water samples based on data. We also continued testing the installed 3D camera system to record arm manipulation for future autonomous environment manipulation algorithms.

ROV SuBastian Dive 209 – Costa Rican Shelf Break
Date: 12/20/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Costa Rican Shelf
Depth: ~ 1000 m
Work Completed: Explored multiple sites where the multibeam sonars have identified bubble seeps. Additional waypoints along the dive track were picked by the automated mission planner. We tested a subsea mass spectrometer and collecting push-core and water samples based on data. We also continued testing the installed 3D camera system to record arm manipulation for future autonomous environment manipulation algorithms.

ROV SuBastian Dive 210 – Costa Rican Shelf Break
Date: 12/21/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Costa Rican Shelf
Depth: ~ 1000 m
Work Completed: Explored multiple sites where the multibeam sonars have identified bubble seeps. Additional waypoints along the dive track were picked by the automated mission planner. We tested a subsea mass spectrometer and collecting push-core and water samples based on data. We also continued testing the installed 3D camera system to record arm manipulation for future autonomous environment manipulation algorithms.

ROV SuBastian Dive 211 – Costa Rican Shelf Break
Date: 12/22/2018
Location: Pacific Ocean – Costa Rican Shelf
Depth: ~ 1080 m
Work Completed: Explored multiple sites where the multibeam sonars have identified bubble seeps. Additional waypoints along the dive track were picked by the automated mission planner. We tested a subsea mass spectrometer and collecting push-core and water samples based on data. We also continued testing the installed 3D camera system to record arm manipulation for future autonomous environment manipulation algorithms.