![Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) MeCO in the Caribbean Sea.](https://nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/styles/news_hero_mobile_600x352_/s3/media_hub/Image1.jpg.webp?VersionId=dIVuLpa3z_F5SbVWfC7Kn8y9NTOVaCtN&itok=Y2YtoPBj)
AI-powered underwater robots revolutionize marine conservation, NSF-funded researchers lead the charge
The underwater environment, covering nearly 80% of the planet, is critical in maintaining ecological balance and supporting human well-being. Effective conservation relies on thoroughly understanding underwater species distribution and ecosystem dynamics, which can be time-consuming and costly.
A team of U.S. National Science Foundation-funded researchers at the Minnesota Interactive Robotics and Vision Laboratory seek to overcome these challenges by developing advanced autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) that are powered by artificial intelligence to collect vast amounts of data, provide detailed insights into species distribution, and create comprehensive habitat maps for understanding environmental drivers.
These innovations will be tested on a new AUV platform, MeCO, which features multiple sensors and modular components. The team hopes to accurately identify and track invasive species, such as Eurasian watermilfoil and various seaweeds common in Minnesota lakes.
MeCO is an open-source project, and researchers expect to make it available to the research community and the public soon under open-source licenses.
This transformative research project stands to significantly advance the fields of oceanography and underwater environmental sciences, providing powerful new tools for the preservation and management of vital aquatic ecosystems.