The Challenge

Maneuvering Exercise:

The maneuvering exercise requires the ROV to maneuver through hoops. This relates to marine science because ROV will sometimes be required to travel through small areas, like sunken ships and caves, in order to get to the required destination.

Maximum time: 3 minutes

Dimensions: 59 centimeters (inner radius)

Observations: Should keep ROV tight, no hanging parts.  This is probably the highest priority for our team, in order for the pieces not to fall apart or malfunction.

Image: https://goo.gl/images/H1BkAw

Coral Reef Restoration:

The coral reef restoration task requires the ROV to move endangered coral species from one location to another. This relates to marine science because sometimes ROVs will be required to save endangered coral species and it requires them to move the coral from one place to another.

Maximum time: 4 minutes

Dimensions: The mass of the coral

Observations: We will try to tackle it by building a basket that could pick up the corals to move it to the new location.  It’s important that we can make the basket wide/steep enough so that the corals can be scooped in.  

Image: https://goo.gl/images/xybU5f

Specimen Collection:

The specimen collection task requires the ROV to collect Schworoctopuses from the benthic environment. This relates to marine science because an ROV is required to collect species like octopuses in order to study them.

Maximum time: 4 minutes

Dimensions: 58.13 grams, 5 cm wide and 3.5 cm tall

Observations: Like the coral reef, we will try building a basket/net to scoop up species to collect. It is important to create a net/basket that will allow the specimen to stay in it, and not fall out while we move the ROV.

Image: https://goo.gl/images/QE0ykl

Oil Well Repairs:

The oil well repairs task requires an ROV to protect the environment by plugging a busted pipe from an oil rig. It will need to pick up the oil well cap and place the cap on the leaking oil pipe. This relates to marine science because oil leaks are a very real problem in the environment and it will require ROVs to be able to find the sources the leaks and stop them.

Maximum time: 3 minutes

Dimensions: Greater than 200 grams for cap weight

Observation: We will tackle this by placing a stick with a curved edge in the front of the ROV and use it to place the oil cap on the leaking pipe. This is a high priority because this will allow us to pick up the cap and stop the oil leak, gaining a massive ten points.

Image: https://goo.gl/images/oGQMgB