MOSCOW, August 8. /TASS/. /TASS/. Scientists and engineers of the Russian Academy of Scientists' Shirshov Institute of Oceanography completed successful tests on the Ladoga Lake of a new on-water robot, which may work at the depth of 300 meters and which will be used, among other tasks, to monitor the radiation situation in the Kara Sea, head of the Institute's laboratory Boris Rozman said on Tuesday.
"In the Kara Sea remain many containers with radioactive waste, which are of high ecology threat," the scientist said. "They should be monitored permanently."
"On Ladoga, we have finalized tests of a new generation robot GNOM-PRO-4G, which will be equipped specially to monitor the situation in the sea," he added.
The Institute's engineers have been working on small tele-managed apparatuses from the early 2000s.
"In the recent model we have refused from foreign engines to use a Russian-made power-wheel unit," he continued. "During the tests, the apparatus dived at the depth of 120 meters, but it is made to work at the depth of 300 meters."
During the test, scientists could watch the process online from two cameras.
"The apparatus has two cameras, which transmit the picture to the surface via a cable which is only nine millimeters thick," he said. "The small robot is designed to search and observe objects in the water, for scientific, research and ecology works, for work in search and rescue operations and in works following accidents in the water."
"It has a manipulator, which allows lifting objects off the bottom," he added.
Specialists will improve the system, and the model's production will begin. The new robot will be produced along with the earlier models.
Model will be improved
"Jointly with specialists from the Institute's Caspian branch, we have designed a drill, with which it will be convenient to take soil probes from the sea bottom," head of the laboratory said. "We plan further work to continue improving the robot, as new versions will receive quicker communication, a high-resolution camera, additional sensors and navigation equipment."
"Within a year, we plan producing a few dozens robots of different calibers," he added.
The new robot, like the earlier versions, will be available for export, he continued.
The model was supported by a grant from the Bortnik Fund - a fund for support of small companies in the scientific and technical sphere (Fund for Support of Innovations). It is a state-run non-profit organization, which was established in 1994.