SAMS news room

Budding marine scientists at an event in Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth become ocean explorers for the day by operating an underwater vehicle 120 miles away in a lab at SAMS.

As part of the North Sea 3D event at the science centre, part of the Edinburgh Science Festival, SAMS staff gave over control of one of their remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), which was sitting in a test tank in SAMS’ Scottish Marine Robotics Facility.

Through a remote connection, visitors to the event were able to steer the ROV around the test tank and take on a series of challenges.

Dr John Halpin, a marine analyst and modeller from SAMS, said: “Children really gravitated towards the exhibition as they tried their hand at controlling the ROV. The best thing was seeing them realise it wasn’t a simulated computer game, but a real robot, in a real tank, more than 100 miles away.

“They loved getting a wave and an applause from the scientists at SAMS when they managed to pick something up with the ROV and move it into a basket – it was a little moment of magic.”

Attendees could also virtually swim round an offshore wind turbine in a VR headset, exploring the marine growth and other life that is associated with these structures. The VR experience was designed as part of a collaboration with Central Saint Martins - University of the Arts London.

The event attracted around 950 people and was part of the SAMS-based North Sea 3D project, which uses ROVs and artificial intelligence to measure marine growth on structures.

To find out more, see https://www.ns3d.co.uk/