Developing technological synergies between deep-sea and space research

Elementa Science of the Anthropocene, vol. 10

Abstract

Recent advances in robotic design, autonomy and sensor integration create solutions for the exploration of deep-sea environments, transferable to the oceans of icy moons. Marine platforms do not yet have the mission autonomy capacity of their space counterparts (e.g., the state of the art Mars Perseverance rover mission), although different levels of autonomous navigation and mapping, as well as sampling, are an extant capability. In this setting their increasingly biomimicked designs may allow access to complex environmental scenarios, with novel, highly-integrated life-detecting, oceanographic and geochemical sensor packages. Here, we lay an outlook for the upcoming advances in deep-sea robotics through synergies with space technologies within three major research areas: biomimetic structure and propulsion (including power storage and generation), artificial intelligence and cooperative networks, and life-detecting instrument design. New morphological and material designs, with miniaturized and more diffuse sensor packages, will advance robotic sensing systems. Artificial intelligence algorithms controlling navigation and communications will allow the further development of the behavioral biomimicking by cooperating networks. Solutions will have to be tested within infrastructural networks of cabled observatories, neutrino telescopes, and off-shore industry sites with agendas and modalities that are beyond the scope of our work, but could draw inspiration on the proposed examples for the operational combination of fixed and mobile platforms.

Authors 20

1. Jacopo Aguzzi

   Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn · Institut de Ciències del Mar

   Affiliation as printed

   Functioning and Vulnerability of Marine Ecosystems Group, Department of Renewable Marine Resources, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain

   Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Naples, Italy

2. Sascha Flögel

   GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel

   Affiliation as printed

   GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany

3. Simone Marini

   Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn · National Research Council

   Affiliation as printed

   National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Institute of Marine Sciences, La Spezia, Italy

   Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Naples, Italy

4. Laurenz Thomsen

   Constructor University

   Affiliation as printed

   OceanLab, Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany

5. Jan Albiez
   Affiliation as printed

   Kraken Robotics, Bremen, Germany

6. Giacomo Picardi

   Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy

   The BioRobotics Institute—Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSAA), Pisa, Italy

   Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy

7. Marcello Calisti

   University of Lincoln

   Affiliation as printed

   Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

8. Sergio S. Stefanni

   Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

   Affiliation as printed

   Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Naples, Italy

9. Luca Mirimin

   Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), Galway, Ireland

10. F. Vecchi

    Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

    Affiliation as printed

    Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Naples, Italy

11. Cecilia Laschi

    National University of Singapore

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore

12. Andrew Branch

    California Institute of Technology · Jet Propulsion Laboratory

    Affiliation as printed

    Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CS, USA

13. Evan Bock Clark

    California Institute of Technology · Jet Propulsion Laboratory

    Affiliation as printed

    Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CS, USA

14. Bernard H. Foing Aachen ILEWG EuroMoonMars

    Leiden University · Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    ILEWG EuroMoonMars, Leiden University & VU Amsterdam, Leiden/Amsterdam, the Netherlands

15. Armin Wedler

    Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)

    Affiliation as printed

    Institut für Robotik und Mechatronik, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, Weßling, Germany

16. Damianos Chatzievangelou

    Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · Institut de Ciències del Mar

    Affiliation as printed

    Functioning and Vulnerability of Marine Ecosystems Group, Department of Renewable Marine Resources, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain

17. Michael Tangherlini

    Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

    Affiliation as printed

    Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Naples, Italy

18. Autun Purser

    Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung

    Affiliation as printed

    Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) for Polar and Marine Research, Bremenhaven, Germany

19. Lewis R. Dartnell

    University of Westminster

    Affiliation as printed

    School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster; London, United Kingdom

    London, United Kingdom

20. Roberto Danovaro

    Marche Polytechnic University · Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy

    Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Naples, Italy