A New Microsubmersible For Deep Water Work And Exploration

The characteristics of a new one person micro-submersible, Deep Rover I, are described. The system features a transparent acrylic pressure hull rated to one kilometer depth, a choice of tethered or untethered mode of operation, seven days of life support, and more than three knots per hour speed. Two sensory manipulator systems enable the operator to perform work in a nearly instinctive manner, with feedback including force, motion, finger-tip vision, sound, and a tactile sense. The basic configuration of Deep Rover I will be retained in deeper versions using acrylic pressure hulls to two kilometers and transparent ceramic materials for depths to six kilometers and, ultimately to 10 kilometers.