Chinese robot explores deepest ocean trenches
Deep-sea robot works under crushing pressure and in extreme conditions
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.
Photo: iStock
-
![]()
Technology09.09.26INOTEX 2026 connects 10 countries through technology, investment and startup cooperation -
![]()
Technology09.09.26Russian scientists develop equipment for quickly detecting defective parts in manufacturing -
![]()
Technology09.09.26Ethiopia creates globally competitive opportunities in artificial intelligence -
![]()
Technology08.09.26Expert: India can drive BRICS cooperation in energy, space, and digital technologies -
![]()
Technology08.09.26Dubai airports launch mobile passport control -
![]()
Technology07.09.26Iran develops AI system to detect pistachios suspected of aflatoxin contamination
-
![Vladimir Putin]()
Vladimir PutinPresident of Russia"We are developing mutual trade, which is growing; it increased by over 12 per cent last year. We have a joint commission working in this sphere. Our focus is on agriculture, shipbuilding, information technology and energy, including nuclear power. We have signed a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Indonesia. Jakarta is our reliable and old friend within ASEAN. We are working together at all international platforms, including the UN" -
![Vladimir Putin]()
Vladimir PutinPresident of Russia"More and more Iranian students are choosing Russian education. We are very pleased about this. A great many future doctors are studying in Russia. In the 2025–2026 academic year, the number of Iranian students in Russia approached 10,000, with 802 of them studying at the expense of the Russian state budget" -
![Xi Jinping]()
Xi JinpingPresident of the People’s Republic of China"The foundation of our bilateral relations will only grow stronger, and we will confidently move forward to a better future. […] The striving of nations on our planet for peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit remains unchanged. The vital mission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is to maintain stability and promote the development of our region" -
![Alisher Salomov]()
Alisher SalomovAdviser to the Chairman of the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan"First and foremost, I would like to highlight the importance of this Central Asia–Russia initiative, because environmental problems know no borders, and only a shared understanding of these problems and the search for joint solutions can deliver positive results" -
![Joao Paulo Capobianco]()
Joao Paulo CapobiancoBrazilian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change"The BRICS countries have a very high level of responsibility because they share an important part of the world's biodiversity, landscapes, populations, food production and water resources. So, we have an opportunity to lead by example. We have our development bank, which can demonstrate and develop new ways of financing programmes. We can reduce the risks for private capital to invest in restoration and efforts to combat desertification"
