Chinese robot explores deepest ocean trenches

Chinese scientists have developed a compact robot capable of operating at extreme depths, including the Mariana Trench (10,666 metres). The 50 cm long device can swim, glide and crawl along the bottom, reported by CGTN, a partner of TV BRICS.

The robot has successfully passed tests in the South China Sea and the Mariana Trench, where the pressure reaches 110 MPa. To withstand these extreme conditions, the team developed a flexible actuation mechanism that takes advantage of how soft silicone materials harden under immense pressure.

Pan Fei, the study’s lead author from Beihang University, explained, "The material structure transforms external high pressure into enhanced speed and amplitude for the actuator, turning the weakness into an asset."

In the near-freezing temperatures of the deep sea (2–4°C), the researchers integrated shape-memory alloy springs into the robot’s actuator. Applying electric currents to heat the springs in a controlled sequence makes them contract quickly and vibrate at high speeds.

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