Robots Go Underwater under Supervision of Researchers of ASU

The first regional contest of remote control underwater devices took place at the training corporate center of the Lukoil Company. Students and professors of Astrakhan State University took part in it and won prizes.

Underwater robots have been helping humans for a long time. They are able to carry out various tasks: go underwater up to 300 m deep, execute rescue operations, conduct researches, or find and detect breakages. Thanks to researchers, the useful mechanisms are becoming increasingly functional and useful in many fields of activities. The contest participants have proved that they, too, strive to enhance their robots. Developers from Astrakhan and Moscow presented their inventions and enhanced industrial models.

The Federation of Ship Modeling Sports of Astrakhan Region arranged this event. Its partner is the Lukoil Company. This transnational corporation provided not only a venue, but also money prizes for the most talented participants. Dr. Boris Rozman, the well-known developer of models of Russian deep-water devices from the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was a distinguished guest at the contest.

The robots that took part in the event had to carry out uneasy tasks. An underwater device was to pass thru rings without touching them. They also had to lift objects from water and transmit a text placed deep beneath the water to their dispatchers.

The team of ASU guided its robot thru all the examinations successfully; it became the 1st runner-up of the contest. Besides, one of our students, who developed a robot on his own and presented it at the contest, got a grant for further development of his R&D product.