Scientists with the CAS Shenyang Institute of Automation (SIA) have developed a new kind of sophisticated underwater robot which could be used for seabed mining surveys.
Feng Xisheng, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering at SIA, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that this research team has worked out indigenous technologies for composite control, module structure and optical fiber application on the underwater robot, which is within the industrial category of autonomous robot vehicle (ARV).
The ARV combines the features of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), said Feng, adding that it could be used for precise operation in fairly long distance.
The Shenyang Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is known for inventing underwater robots. It has developed another type of long-range AUV with endurance reaching tens of hours and several hundreds of kilometers.
In the latest underwater test, the newly-developed AUV set a domestic record in sustainability.
The AUV is equipped with a satellite navigation receiver for precise positioning, a new kind of sonar system, a high-power fuel cell and lithium cell systems, Feng said.
"We could use our new AUVs to explore underwater mineral resources and help maintain offshore oil rigs," Feng said.
The Shenyang Institute of Automation has developed underwater robots since the 1990s and invented China's first cable-controlled ROV and AUV. Its underwater robot fleet includes two types of AUVs which can dive into a depth of 6,000 meters under water.
China is now among the leading countries in developing advanced underwater robotics.