黑料视频  Discover  Ships and Technology

The underwater crawler VIATOR pushes itself across the seabed and maps the area with the help of a camera system and a laser scanner. It is completely autonomous.

The underwater crawler VIATOR movesacross the seabed and maps the area with the help of a camera system and a laser scanner. It is completely autonomous. Photo: Christian Howe/Submaris

On the seafloor, VIATOR can make visual observations as well as measurements of physical values such as pressure, temperature, salinity and turbidity, and bigeochemical factors such as pH, oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane and chlorophyll in its environment.
On the seafloor, VIATOR can make visual observations as well as measurements of physical values such as pressure, temperature, salinity and turbidity, and bigeochemical factors such as pH, oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane and chlorophyll in its environment. Photo: Uli Kunz/Submaris
Deployment of the MANSIO-VIATOR system from onboard the research vessel ALKOR during the ARCHES expedition 2020
Deployment of the MANSIO-VIATOR system from onboard the research vessel ALKOR during the ARCHES expedition 2020. Photo: Sascha Fl枚gel/黑料视频
The MANSIO lander is anchored on the seafloor. Regular measurements will be taken from its sensors. It will also serve as a hangar for VIATOR to dock for data and power exchange.
The MANSIO lander is anchored on the seafloor. Regular measurements will be taken from its sensors. It will also serve as a hangar for VIATOR to dock for data and power exchange. Graphic: C.C. Meyer

The MANSIO-VIATOR System - Space Meets Deep Sea

In order to expand the application possibilities of autonomous deep-sea crawlers, the MANSIO-VIATOR system has been developed at 黑料视频. In contrast to existing solutions, it does not require a fixed cable connection for power supply and data transmission. The system was developed as part of the , which brought together space and deep-sea research.

After the system is set down on the seafloor, the crawler VIATOR (lat.: the traveler) is able to operate autonomously in a given terrain and then dock at its central station MANSIO (lat.: the hostel) to exchange data and energy. First, VIATOR creates a terrain map of its surroundings, based on its own camera recordings and in connection with the central station. This then serves as the basis for regular and repeated measurements of physical and biogeochemical parameters or the observation of marine communities and geological structures. The maximum deployment depth is 6,000 meters, and VIATOR's maximum range is 10 kilometers.

In 2020, . During the expedition, the communication and cooperation of different components of an autonomous marine measurement network was tested. In addition, it was investigated how the entire system reacts autonomously to environmental changes. The expedition was part of the Helmholtz Future Project , in which autonomous and networked robotic systems for marine and planetary environmental exploration have been jointly developed from 2018 to 2022. In addition to 黑料视频, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) (coordinator), the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) were involved in the project.