US companies come together for integrated underwater robotic systems

Utah-headquartered Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation and Pennsylvania-based VideoRay have signed an agreement to offer integrated underwater robotic systems.

Source: Sarcos Robotics

Under the agreement, the parties plan on combining VideoRay remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) with the Sarcos Guardian Sea Class robotic system including its dexterous arms.

Sarcos and VideoRay will each be able to sell an integrated underwater robotic system, as well as their respective individual products, and provide replacement parts and repair services and support.

“This collaboration is significant for the industry as it will enable Sarcos and VideoRay customers to easily purchase a pre-integrated system combining VideoRay’s best-in-class remotely operated vehicles with our advanced one- or two-armed Sea Class system,” said Kiva Allgood, President and CEO, Sarcos.

“Through this relationship we aim to make it easy for customers to acquire and deploy complete underwater systems and we look forward to continuing working closely with VideoRay moving forward.”

According to Sarcos, the Guardian Sea Class robotic system has a modular design that will easily integrate with VideoRay’s lineup of one-person portable ROVs, which enable operations in currents up to four knots.

The Guardian Sea Class system can be operated with one or two six-degree-of-freedom arms and performs in depths of up to one kilometer for up to two hours at a time, the company stated.

“VideoRay has designed our remotely operated vehicles to perform critical jobs in the harshest environments,” said Chris Gibson, CEO of VideoRay. “Our ROVs are a natural fit with the Guardian Sea Class system and, when combined, we believe that the packaged solution offers the most advanced underwater inspection capability on the market today.”