• Question: how intelligent are your robots ?

    Asked by Mythology to Ollie on 5 Mar 2017.
    • Photo: Ollie Morris

      Ollie Morris answered on 5 Mar 2017:


      Very… They are smarter than me…

      On the robot there are two state-of-the-art computers with lots of software on, these are the “brain” of the Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV or Robot).

      These computers are in charge of the robot and the most important task they do is making sure it doesn’t get lost. Deep (1000m+) below the surface of the sea is probably the hardest place on earth to navigate. The sea is very dark so the AUV can’t see the way that we do, it has to use sound like bats. They do this to make sure they don’t bump into the sea bed or any big rocks. But the most intelligent part is making sure it doesn’t get lost. GPS (Global positioning Satellites) don’t work under the sea, much like taking a phone into a cave… it doesn’t get signal. So it uses a special sensor that records how fast it is moving and in what direction, it does this all the time and then uses clever maths to work out how far it has gone.

      Imagine walking to school with your eyes shut, you will bump into things and you will quickly loose track of where you are but the AUV (robot) can do this for 24 hours covering 100 miles.

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