New Undersea Technology Offers Fresh Streams Of Knowledge

The arrival of a new underwater ‘robot’ at UVic’s Ocean Technology Laboratory (OTL) and the opportunities it will provide for science, technology and product development researchers has been made possible by support from the Government of Canada.

Thanks to $800,000 from Western Economic Diversification Canada that was awarded to UVic’s Laboratory for Automation, Communication and Information Systems Research (LACIR) to acquire an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), university researchers, ocean technology companies and other marine industries will be better able to see, hear and interpret information from the ocean floor.

The AUV will greatly aid data gathering for researchers at UVic’s OTL. An AUV can help assess fish stocks and monitor the marine environment as well as help engineers develop better AUV technology for future use in scientific and industrial ocean exploration.

“In conjunction with the Ocean Technology Test Bed (OTTB) that UVic is constructing in Saanich Inlet, the new AUV will provide many new valuable ocean-technology research opportunities at the University of Victoria,” says Dr. Colin Bradley, director of LACIR.

“The test bed facility will be the first of its kind internationally and, when it is fully operational, will include some of the most advanced technology in the area. It will create a unique ocean testing range for academics, industry and government organizations.”

The new acquisition will help UVic student research as well as generate income, says Dr. Howard Brunt, vice-president research. “The Ocean Technology Test Bed is a local research hub. It also provides a unique service, which is sought out by both Canadian and international companies. The addition of this AUV will increase this facility’s revenue potential. Revenue that is generated by the OTTB—especially revenue from international companies—will have a direct, positive impact on the local economy.”

The OTTB will be fully operational in 2010.
 

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