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Scaling capabilities in maritime robotics

Scaling capabilities in maritime robotics
Scaling capabilities in maritime robotics
The oceans are vast: they cover 71% of the Earth’s surface and play a key role in regulating our climate. They form 99%of the Earth’s liveable space, are home to 244,000 confirmed species, with scientists predicting that there are likely more than 2 million species in the oceans. The oceans hold significant resources of oil, gas and minerals, absorb 25% of atmospheric CO2 and with 50% of the global population living in coastal regions, fish supplying 16% of global protein intake and 90% of world trade handled by sea, the oceans and ocean processes influence all of us.Even though our very existence is coupled with the oceans and their functions, we have seen a 30% increase in ocean acidity since the industrial revolution, and increasing concerns of over fishing and stock depletion for the 3.5 billion people that depend on the ocean as their primary source of food. Yet despite the potential resources – and need for better understanding– less than 5% of the ocean floor has been explored. This is because the physics and chemistry of the ocean limits the reach of our sensors and the range and endurance of our platforms,making it one of the most challenging and unforgiving environments on our planet. When subject to such limitations,the only way to scale our capabilities is through the increased number, and autonomy of the platforms and sensors we putout to sea. Here, Maritime Robotic Systems provide unrivalled opportunities to explore and work in the oceans, improving both safety and reducing costs. They can act as our eyes and ears in places that are too dangerous or remote for humans to go, and can automate repetitive, or ‘boring’ tasks. The Maritime Robotics Laboratory (MRL) at the University of Southampton UK, is developing new technology and approaches to scale capabilities in marine robotics, by orders of magnitude. Our priority is to identify and remove the bottlenecks in the technology, enabling systems that can 1) go longer, 2) are smarter and 3) work together.
machines, data, analysis
https://www.ics.org.uk/media/499079/ics%20sn%20418%20low%20res%20dec%20final.pdf
16-17
Townsend, Nicholas
3a4b47c5-0e76-4ae0-a086-cf841d610ef0
Downes, Jonathan
ebc0f09b-9d33-4815-bedf-bc77df59c822
Thornton, Blair
8293beb5-c083-47e3-b5f0-d9c3cee14be9
Turnock, Stephen
d6442f5c-d9af-4fdb-8406-7c79a92b26ce
Townsend, Nicholas
3a4b47c5-0e76-4ae0-a086-cf841d610ef0
Downes, Jonathan
ebc0f09b-9d33-4815-bedf-bc77df59c822
Thornton, Blair
8293beb5-c083-47e3-b5f0-d9c3cee14be9
Turnock, Stephen
d6442f5c-d9af-4fdb-8406-7c79a92b26ce

Townsend, Nicholas, Downes, Jonathan, Thornton, Blair and Turnock, Stephen (2018) Scaling capabilities in maritime robotics. Shipping Network, (55), 16-17. (https://www.ics.org.uk/media/499079/ics%20sn%20418%20low%20res%20dec%20final.pdf).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The oceans are vast: they cover 71% of the Earth’s surface and play a key role in regulating our climate. They form 99%of the Earth’s liveable space, are home to 244,000 confirmed species, with scientists predicting that there are likely more than 2 million species in the oceans. The oceans hold significant resources of oil, gas and minerals, absorb 25% of atmospheric CO2 and with 50% of the global population living in coastal regions, fish supplying 16% of global protein intake and 90% of world trade handled by sea, the oceans and ocean processes influence all of us.Even though our very existence is coupled with the oceans and their functions, we have seen a 30% increase in ocean acidity since the industrial revolution, and increasing concerns of over fishing and stock depletion for the 3.5 billion people that depend on the ocean as their primary source of food. Yet despite the potential resources – and need for better understanding– less than 5% of the ocean floor has been explored. This is because the physics and chemistry of the ocean limits the reach of our sensors and the range and endurance of our platforms,making it one of the most challenging and unforgiving environments on our planet. When subject to such limitations,the only way to scale our capabilities is through the increased number, and autonomy of the platforms and sensors we putout to sea. Here, Maritime Robotic Systems provide unrivalled opportunities to explore and work in the oceans, improving both safety and reducing costs. They can act as our eyes and ears in places that are too dangerous or remote for humans to go, and can automate repetitive, or ‘boring’ tasks. The Maritime Robotics Laboratory (MRL) at the University of Southampton UK, is developing new technology and approaches to scale capabilities in marine robotics, by orders of magnitude. Our priority is to identify and remove the bottlenecks in the technology, enabling systems that can 1) go longer, 2) are smarter and 3) work together.

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Shipping Network December 2018 (1) - Version of Record
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Published date: December 2018
Keywords: machines, data, analysis

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 427984
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/427984
DOI: https://www.ics.org.uk/media/499079/ics%20sn%20418%20low%20res%20dec%20final.pdf
PURE UUID: 7d723bc3-f3c9-4b6f-b63e-28ab3e80ac8e
ORCID for Nicholas Townsend: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6996-3532
ORCID for Jonathan Downes: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2027-4474
ORCID for Stephen Turnock: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6288-0400

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Date deposited: 06 Feb 2019 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:18

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