Our Challenge

Our ROV project will culminate with four underwater tasks. Our team will be awarded points based on how our ROV is able to perform.

Challenge 1: In-N-Out (not the fast food chain!)
This challenge is meant to emulate the maneuvers an ROV might take while exploring an underwater shipwreck or traversing the sea floor. The ROV will have 3 minutes to move in and out of a hula hoop obstacle course. The hula hoops each have a one foot radius, and there are 5 hoops total. Each hoop is at a different angle. We will have to make sure the ROV will be small enough to go through the hoop and won't end up caught. We also have to ensure that the cord connected to the ROV is long enough to get through the entire course.

Our setup:
 

Real world example:

Challenge 2: Fish ID 
The Fish ID challenge will require our ROV to survey a simulated transect. A transect is an area of a certain size, often one square meter, in which scientists will count and identify organisms present. Our ROV will need to use a fishing camera to view the transect, and our team on the surface must have the potential organisms memorized so we can quickly identify and record data. ROVs can get to more pressurized, remote transect areas which humans may not be able to reach.

No setup picture! It's a surprise!

Real world examples:
 

Challenge 3: Gone Fishin' 
In the scientific world, ROVs will often have to pick up organisms and transport them to the surface for research. Marine biologists are able to use ROVs as a tool to safely remove animals from their ecosystems without physically diving down to get them. As part of this challenge, our ROV will have a specified time limit (TBD!) to collect up to 6 schworoctopuses (photo below). Each schworoctopus weighs about 58 grams.

 

Real world ROV collecting sea life:
 

Challenge 4: Operation 'Fix It' 

This challenge is meant to simulate an oil spill. ROVs are a great way for humans to get into contaminated areas without physically putting themselves at risk. When oil is gushing, an ROV may be sent in with materials to seal up the leak. Our challenge is to take a lid from the pool floor and place it over an oil "source". The lid weighs about 50 grams. There will obviously not be any actual oil leaking, because that would harm the pool, which is shared with the swim team later in the day after our challenge.



Real world example :




Setup:
Image sources:  
ROV Exploring Shipwreck
Transect Diver
ROV Sampling Specimen
ROV Working on Oil Rig