Solving challenges
MBARI’s Technology Roadmap sets out the path for our development efforts, identifying the engineering challenges and opportunities for MBARI to contribute fundamental technological advances that will enable innovative research efforts locally and elsewhere. From that perspective, we will advance three overarching institutional priorities for coordinating a broad suite of engineering activities:
Taking the laboratory into the ocean
MBARI’s technologies for carrying out experiments in situ have proven extremely valuable for addressing questions related to ocean acidification, expansion of oxygen minimum zones, and the emergence of dead zones.
Enabling targeted sampling
MBARI has historically met the challenges associated with targeted sampling by specifically directing ROVs to collect material or make particular measurements. More recently, the tandem use of AUV mapping and directed ROV operations has significantly improved on that model for a host of seafloor studies.
Advancing a persistent presence
MBARI’s goal of establishing an extended ocean presence dates to its founding with the investment in ships, ROVs, and the OASIS moorings. Over the years, the number and diversity of robotic systems developed at MBARI have increased, and now includes AUVs, the Benthic Rover, the mini ROV, the FOCE systems, in situ respirometers, benthic camera systems, the deep-ocean Raman in situ spectrometer, the ESP, and the Monterey Accelerated Research System cabled observatory.
Technology
- Solving challenges
- Emerging and current tools
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- Communications
- Data management
- Instruments
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- Apex profiling floats
- Benthic event detectors
- Deep particle image velocimetry
- Environmental Sample Processor (ESP)
- Investigations of imaging for midwater autonomous platforms
- Lagrangian sediment traps
- Laser Raman Spectroscopy
- Midwater Respirometer System
- Mobile flow cytometer
- Smart underwater connector
- Power
- Vehicle technology
- Video
- Engineering Research
- Technology publications
- Technology transfer
Related
2014 Technology Roadmap
The 2014 Technology Roadmap complements the Strategic Plan, focusing on opportunities for MBARI to contribute fundamental technological advances that will enable innovative research efforts locally and globally. The institute’s technology priorities are:
- Taking the laboratory into the ocean
- Enabling targeted sampling
- Advancing a persistent presence
