Factories to create deep sea probe

[AsahinaKimi]

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan)

Fumito Nagase / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

For two years now, a group of small, independent factories in downtown Tokyo has dreamed of using their technology to create a deep sea probe, and has made significant progress toward their goal.

Small companies in the area known as shitamachi, a low-lying part of eastern downtown Tokyo, have teamed up to manufacture a simple robot probe to conduct underwater research at depths of up to 8,000 meters.

The companies aim to use the Edokko Ichi-go (Tokyo-born robot No. 1) probe to photograph deep-sea creatures and collect samples of mud from the seabed. They plan to complete a prototype probe as early as next summer.

Their efforts have drawn the attention of scientific experts, with one saying, "It would be wonderful if the technology used at small factories could be used to create a low-cost method for deep sea probes."


Read more: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111031004220.htm

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[SkyDaddy7]

1. Thanks for posting! nt.

[Art_from_Ark]

2. Downtown Tokyo?

There is no "downtown Tokyo"; virtually every train station in the 23 wards (now often called "cities") that make up what is commonly thought of as the "city of Tokyo" is connected with a "downtown" area. I think they are translating "shitamachi" too literally.

[n2doc]

3. Wonder what the final cost will be?

We can already do all this with existing tech (send a sphere down, have it sit/record for a while, come back up).

The biggest cost with these is usually the ship time. Maybe they will use fishing boats to do their work. A research vessel is typically 10,000 dollars a day on up.