Jason (robot)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jason is a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system designed for scientific investigation of the deep ocean and seafloor. ROVs are unoccupied, highly maneuverable and operated by a person aboard a surface vessel. They are linked to the ship by a tether, a group of cables that carry electrical signals back and forth between the operator and the vehicle.
Built and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Jason is equipped with sonar imaging as well as video, still, and electronic cameras and appropriate lighting gear. It carries precision navigation equipment and sensors for depth, vehicle attitude (tilt), and altitude from the seafloor. Jason's manipulator arms can collect samples that may be put in a small basket attached to the vehicle or, for heavier items, on an attached "elevator" platform that carries them to the surface.
A prototype of Jason called Jason Jr. was used with Alvin to explore the Titanic in 1986.
Read about the history of Jason at http://www.whoi.edu/home/about/currents10_no1_jason.html.
