Underwater Robot Seapertch is a popular educational tool for students in classes from 5 to 12. Building and piloting Seaperts, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), includes various hand production processes, electronic techniques and STEM concepts. Thanks to the SEAPERCH program, teachers and students study structures, electronics and underwater dynamics.
“Seaperch had a huge impact on the fields of science and ocean engineering,” says Dr. Andrew Bennett ’85 ’85, Education Administrator MIT Seagrant and senior lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering (Meche).
The original Seapert project was launched by Myth sea grant In 2003, in the following decades, he quickly spread throughout the country and abroad, creating a lively community of builders. Now, under the leadership of Robona Seaperch, he is still developing in competitions around the world. These competitions introduce hard problems with real problems to support inventive solutions. Some last topics included deep extraction and collecting data on hydrothermal ventilation holes.
Underwater robot with a mission
Video: Department of Mechanical Engineering
Seaperta IIwhich has been developing in the myth of Sea Grant since 2021, is based on the original program by adding robotics and elements of naval and climate sciences. This is the manufacturer’s project “Do it yourself” with goals that can be achieved by junior high school and high school students. Bennett says that he hopes that Seaperta II will allow even greater influence, providing an accessible path to learning about sensors, robotics, climate sciences and others.
“I think that the most valuable is that he uses the components of the equipment store that should be cut, waterproof, connected, soldered or somehow processed before becoming part of the robot or controller,” says Diane Brancazio Me ’90, leader of the Mit Maker for Mit Edgerton Center, which co -coined the Mit of Mit Seerch initiatives. “[It’s] Something like making dough from scratch, instead of a mixture – you see what goes to the final product and how everything connects. “
Seaperta II is a family of modules that allow students and teachers to create educational adventures tailored to their specific needs or requirements. The offers include a pressure and temperature detection module that can be used yourself; The autonomy module, from which students can exploit to build an automatic system control system closed depth; and a software lesson module of robotic “fingers”, which can be configured in grippers, distance sensors and nodules sensors.
Basic sea design of PVC pipes with three engines and imprisonment to the switch box. Through the construction process, students learn swimming, construction, hand production and electrical circuits. Seaperta II uses technologies that are more advanced, cheaper and more accessible than when Seaperts have been conceived for the first time. Bennett claims that Seaperta II is to extend the original Seapert program without annulment of any existing systems.
Teagan Sullivan, a third-school student of mechanical engineering, for the first time got involved in the project in January 2023 using a scientific studies project from Mit Sea Grant. Initially, she continued the development of part of the Pliable Robotics project, after which she was concerned about a more general focus, in which she worked on the design of frames for Seaperta II, making sure that the components can match and that stability can be maintained. Later, she helped in conducting information programs, receiving feedback from the students she worked with to assist modify projects and make them “more solid and friendly children.”
“I was able to see the influence of Seapera II on a small scale, working directly with students,” says Sullivan. “I saw how he encouraged creativity and how he taught children that cooperation is the best way to success. Seapera II teaches the basics of electronics, coding and production, but its best strength is the ability to question the way people think and encourage critical thinking.”
The team’s vision is to create opportunities for youthful people to engage in real scientific research and engineering challenges, develop passion for engineering, science and a water environment. The myth of Sea Grant is still developing modern Seaperta II modules, including the inclusion of land water communication, salinity and dissolved oxygen sensors and fluorometers.
Sullivan says he hopes that the program will reach more students and inspire them to interest engineering while teaching the skills they need to be another generation of problems. Brancazio says that he hopes that this project inspires and prepares youthful people to work on climate change problems.
“Robots are to help people do things that they couldn’t do otherwise,” says Brancazio. “Seapers is a mission robot.”