OceanOne Is A Robotic Diver That Performs Like A Human

A team at Stanford University has developed what looks like a robot mermaid that performs like a human. It’s called OceanOne and is a robotic diver humanoid that is developed to help explore and recover fragile artifacts from old wrecks, something that was previously impossible due to the limited technology used in older diving robots.

OceanOne’s hands are fitted with pressure sensitive technology that can send feedback to the operator. It allows the human operator to actually “feel” what the robot is touching through a haptic feedback joystick that is specifically developed for the OceanOne.

The robot diver had its first real-world test dive recently when it explored the wreckage of La Lune, a 17th-century ship that sunk near the southern coast of France. By using its haptic feedback technology the crew managed to salvage a centuries-old vase from La Lune without accidentally crushing it.

OceanOne was developed to prevent humans from having to explore potentially dangerous underwater environments such as deep-water mining or oil-rig maintenance. However, the robotic diver’s advanced technology allow it to undertake a whole lot more complex operations than that, which it proved during its first maiden dive operation.

The crew at Stanford University has also developed another robotic diver, however, this one is a whole lot more sinister looking. It’s a snake-looking robot which primary purpose is to explore small or tight spaces underwater. We have to say, though, we much rather would like to cross paths with the OceanOne rather than the underwater snake hybrid, that’s for sure.

It’s safe to say that after the recent successful dive operation, the OceanOne is definitely going to be a busy bee in the coming treasure hunting seasons to come. Surely you will be able to commission this robotic diver to help you recover that sunken pirate treasure you just found. It’s not going to be cheap, though, and you might have to share the loot with the robotic diver itself as it looks to be both bigger and smarter than most humans.