APPLICATION OF MODERN REMOTE HANDLING TECHNIQUES 
TO OCEANOGRAPHY 
by JOHN W. CLARK 
Nucleonics Laboratory 
Hughes Aircraft Company 
INTRODUCTION 
Oceanography is an eclectic science covering a wide gamut of the older 
scientific disciplines. In accomplishing the objectives of oceanography 
one must, among many other things, obtain physical measurements of the ocean 
floor and the ocean itself. One must also obtain samples of the flora and 
fauna of the ocean, as well as geological or physiographic specimens from 
the ocean bottom. In the following discussion I would like to concentrate 
attention upon this data and sample gathering aspect of oceanography, since 
it is to this aspect that the new art of remote handling can make a genuine 
contribution. 
Modern remote handling technology, which is beginning to be recognized 
as a new subdivision of engineering, might perhaps be better described as 
the technology of accomplishing physical operations in hostile environments. 
This new technology is being created by a combination of electronic control 
engineering, human engineering, and remote handling techniques as developed 
by and for the nuclear industry. 
As a typical example of a modern system for operating within a hostile 
environment, let us consider Figure 1, which shows the Hughes Mark Ii Mobot 
system. This system, which was developed for use in nuclear laboratories, 
is mobile, being mounted upon a three-wheel chassis. It is controlled by 
means of a three-wire cable which may be as long as a few thousand feet. 
The "hands" and "eyes'' of the machine are electronically commanded by its 
operator; practical experience has demonstrated that this system can accom- 
plish such complex functions as pouring, stacking, operating power drills 
or wrenches and the like, employing only electronic communication means be- 
tween operator and vehicle. The experience gained with this and similar 
machines forms an effective starting point from which underwater handling 
systems can be developed to accomplish specific oceanographic tasks. 
REMOTE HANDLING VOCABULARY 
The new technology of remote handling and operation in hazardous areas 
is sufficiently unfamiliar as to justify a preliminary discussion and a few 
basic definitions before exploring in more detail the applications of this 
technology to underwater programs. 
In most general terms, consider Figure 2, which shows a hazardous area 
in which one desires to perform some operation. This area may be hazardous 
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