In September, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) demonstrated a new use for its long-range autonomous underwater vehicles (LRAUVs), detecting and tracking oil spills.
MBARI engineers outfitted an LRAUV with fluorometers that can detect oil in water and they simulated an oil spill using non-toxic, biodegradable dye.
Robots that can find oil spills under ice will be needed as ship traffic and oil exploration expands in the Arctic Ocean. The LRAUV used in these experiments will also...