UK-Brazil Tentacle Robot Advances Deep Offshore Inspections

A new tentacle-like underwater robot developed collaboratively by the UK’s National Robotarium and Brazil’s Senai Cimatec promises to revolutionize the inspection and maintenance of subsea infrastructure. This flexible, one-meter-long manipulator uses a soft, bendy design with a flexible backbone and tendon-like cables controlled by sensors to conform to and safely interact with delicate offshore structures, even in turbulent underwater conditions. Tested in wave tanks, the robot can maintain stability under forces up to 300g and quickly correct its position after disturbances, making it ideal for inspecting offshore wind farms and subsea pipelines at depths up to nearly 3000 meters. This innovation addresses critical challenges in extending the operational life of costly offshore infrastructure, with decommissioning costs projected to exceed $100 billion by 2030, thereby offering economic and environmental benefits. Separately, Orpheus Ocean, a startup based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, has developed a small autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) named Orpheus, which has completed multiple dives to depths of 3.5 miles near the Mariana Trench, demonstrating capabilities for extreme deep-ocean applications including offshore wind development and environmental surveys. Together, these robotic technologies showcase significant advancements in underwater exploration and infrastructure maintenance, enhancing safety, precision, and operational reach in harsh ocean environments.