How Are Marine Robots Shaping Our Future?

What will robots discover as they explore life and resources from the depths of Earth's oceans to the reaches of deep space?

The more marine robotics extend our physical and intellectual capacities, the more they challenge us to redefine what it means to coexist with the world around us. The real revolution is just beginning--it lies in how these machines will transform our understanding of our environment, allowing us to balance discovery with stewardship, supporting a thriving human society while safeguarding the ecosystems we depend on.

Although the ocean seems familiar, below the waves, the seafloor remains a largely undiscovered realm, with only 25% of its features mapped in detail. World-renowned robotics expert James Bellingham introduces readers to the compelling world of contemporary undersea exploration, and the vital role autonomous robots play in corporate and governmental aquaculture management, climate data, energy source locations, wreck explorations, and much more.

Bellingham, who has led dozens of expeditions from the Arctic to the Antarctic, also discusses how deep-sea research using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and drones can translate into future missions, including the exploration of oceans on other planets and moons. These forbidding environments are difficult to access and are not easily conducive to human life, making autonomous robots that can move, explore, and collect data critically important for research and the development of essential industries.

Exploration robotics works on three frontiers simultaneously: scientific discovery, advanced technology, and extreme environments. Bellingham shares harrowing anecdotes from his work exploring these three frontiers, including weathering storms off the Antarctic Peninsula, embarking on his first robotic missions at sea, and experiencing odd mid-water column sonar echoes. Along the way, readers will develop a newfound appreciation for how robots are redefining what's possible--and what their voyages mean for the future of humanity.