Fetch-the revolutionary mini-sub

Radio Control Boat Modeler, Aug 2004 by Swiatowicz, Jill

INTRODUCING "FETCH," THE SWIMMING ROBOT! Fetch is no ordinary mechanical creation but rather a small innovation created to map and determine the health of underwater environments, measure currents, count fish and even assist the Navy with homeland security! Fetch is one of the autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) created by Mark Patterson and Jim Sias, cofounders of Sias Patterson Inc.

Mark Patterson, the chief scientist of Sias Patterson Inc. and associate professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, created Fetch on his kitchen table! he met Jim Sias, president of Sias Patterson Inc. and a former professor at the Rochester (NY) Institute of Technology, in the 1970s. From this chance meeting stemmed this incredible underwater robot.

WHATAREAUVs?

These revolutionary tools are designed to go where people can't, and they can certainly stay under water longer than humans. AUVs significantly reduce costs in man-hours and can deliver around-the-clock readings to propel the world of science and security to a new level. These mini-subs are fully equipped with onboard sensors, sidescan sonar, video cameras, temperature and current sensors and more.

This 77-inch-long, 160-pound computer-operated submarine can reach a maximum depth of 500 feet and can remain submerged for more than 22 hours. "AUVs are essentially swimming computers. They're not tethered to the surface; they can swim 24-7, under all kinds of wind, wave and weather conditions," says Patterson. "[It] can learn what things look like, and it gets better with time." With 97-percent accuracy in identifying objects, it's difficult to imagine Fetch's skills improving much. But time is surely on its side; Patterson says that the Navy has established a need for 100,000 AUVs by 2013. In fact, Sias hopes that his company will double in size every year over the next five years: "We think that's a realistic projection. It has taken a little bit longer to get here than we thought it would, but we're in on the ground floor. We know that this is a very robust product, and we know that it works."

HOW DOES IT WORK?

And aren't fish afraid of it? "The fish try to avoid ships, but they think Fetch is just a big fish, so they stay," reports Patterson. Well, this $150,000 "big fish" is fully equipped with side sonar systems that emit sound waves up to 150 feet around. These sound waves relay a detailed image, or map, of the underwater environment to scientists. Even more impressive, Fetch has been taught how to specifically identify each fish it encounters.

With sensors to test pH, oxygen levels, salinity and water temperature, this little submarine is surprisingly easy to maintain. "I wanted a system that the user could fix himself and correct in a timely fashion," adds Sias. "I have a very high regard for field serviceability." In fact, Sias admits that the main reason Fetch and other Sias Patterson AUV models cost less than half as much as their competitors is because they use commercial technology. Rather than spend time and money custom-building parts for its submarines, Sias Patterson purchases parts off store shelves, thereby creating a product that is not only costeffective but easy to repair, as well.

Whether they're used to hunt for mines in the waters of Iraq, count fish in the Gulf of Alaska, check the coral reefs off the Florida Keys, or evaluate coastal systems in the Gulf of Mexico, AUVs have come a great distance. be sure to keep an eye out for Fetch and its AUV siblings for additional, wake-breaking news!