Urban Coast Institute Introduces ROV Operations to Students (USA)

Professor Jim Nickels, a marine scientist with the Urban Coast Institute at Monmouth, guided 10 students in operating a mini submarine as part of his course on field research methods in marine science.

A ROV (remote operated vehicle) is a tethered, underwater vehicle that scientists use today to go where no human diver can, from polluted waters to up small pipes. The Video Ray Inspection Class ROV, was loaned to Nickels by oceanographic manufacturer Electronic Sales of New England. According to Nickels, the ROV, which only weighs a few pounds, is worth about $30,000.

“It’s a lot of money, but it’s cheaper than sending a team of divers,” Nickels said.

“With divers you have to fund the equipment, insurance fees … and no diver can stay underwater for 24 hours a day like the ROV, so you usually need to pay more than one,” he added.

The ROV links to the surface through a cord which carries power, data, and video. Students steered the ROV through an underwater obstacle course at Monmouth University’s Boylan Gym pool using a joystick and video monitor.

Dan Bracy, 20, is an environmental biology major who hopes to get involved with invasive species management after college.

“Learning to use the ROV is definitely useful for my career, since I’d probably have to operate it on a ship,” Bracy said.

“We’re going to come across these devices in our research, so it’s great to know what to expect,” Katherine Markowitz, 19, of West Harrison, N.Y., added.

Will Gunther, 22, of Kings Park, N.Y., explained the benefit of the hands on approach to the lesson.

“If kids had more access to this type of learning at school, it could get them more interested in science,” he said.

Operating the ROV is just one of the technological skills students have learned throughout the course.

“We’ve recently been going out onto the water, and also working a lot with a GPS,” Markowitz said.

Students used the ROV to pick up different items on the bottom of the pool. Nickels explained that the ROV’s grabbing device is generally used to cling itself to a steady object so that its cameras can observe one place. Other uses for the ROV include capturing footage of marine animals in a close space. Many times, Nickels said, divers bring along ROVs as a means of observing the diver’s operations.

“The ROV shows students the different techniques in current research,” Nickels said.

“I want my students to be familiar with this type of technology – to gain knowledge, and to understand its limits,” he said.

One of these limitations, according to Nickels, is that the device gets knocked around in strong ocean currents. Luckily, students did not encounter this problem at the pool, and Nickels encouraged the waves created by the few lap swimmers at the time of the demonstration.

“It makes it more realistic with the swimmers in the water,” he said as he tossed the bright yellow machine in.

And for this group, the more realistic, the better.

[mappress]
Source: , August 4, 2011;  Image: videoray