GoKawiilWHOI researchers build sonar-vision system for robots in murky underwater sediment
Amy Phung and Richard Camilli of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution developed a navigation method that lets underwater robots map their surroundings using sonar, which works regardless of water clarity, then pairs that data with a French-developed image-matching algorithm to estimate depth in real time. This combination lets a vehicle safely approach objects even when cameras are blinded by sediment clouds stirred up during seafloor operations.
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Underwater robots often lose visibility the moment they touch the seafloor, forcing costly delays while sediment settles before any useful camera work can resume. A real-time sonar-camera fusion system could speed up scientific surveys, underwater construction, and hazardous tasks like disarming undersea mines by removing that waiting period entirely.
- Sonar mapping works in both clear and murky water, unlike optical cameras alone.
- The system pairs sonar with a French-developed real-time depth-estimation algorithm for 2D images.
- Potential uses include ocean science, underwater construction and maintenance, and unexploded mine handling.
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See Deeper PRO+ 2 Smart Sonar on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: technologyreview.com — Jennifer Chu, 2026-08-25
Published there as: “Seeing through murky waters”
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