Robotics researchers at Stanford University are developing a new way to explore the world’s oceans: a remote-controlled humanoid robot that can transmit the sense of touch to researchers sitting vast distances away.
Named OceanOneK, the robot is an advanced version of OceanOne, which in 2016 dove 100 meters in the Mediterranean to explore a shipwreck from 1664. “OneK” reflects its ability to dive 1,000 meters.
OceanOneK connects to a boat on the surface of the water, which has the potential to connect to the internet and allow remote users to control it. Users “feel” what the robot touches using a haptic interface.