Review of Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (AUV) Developments 
next largest), the ROV Subcommittee was merged with the Undersea Vehicle Committee to 
become the Undersea Vehicle/ROV Committee. 
ROV COMMITTEE MISSION 
“To promote the interchange of technical information between _ industrial, 
academic, defense, and other organizations on an international basis in the areas 
of ROVs, undersea robotics and artificial intelligence; provide speakers to 
academic institutions to increase the participation of students in the society and 
areas of ROV and undersea technology; produce technical publications related to 
ROV technology.” 
The "Operational Effectiveness of Unmanned Underwater Systems" CD-ROM is now 
available from MTS. Robert Wernli of First Centurion Enterprises announced that the final 
product is 700 pages with 390 photographs, charts, and diagrams. 
For a demonstration of this CD-ROM see www.rov.org/rovdemo. The CD-ROM contains details 
about unmanned systems and their expected performance, including full descriptions and 
specifications, how they operate, where they are operating and how successfully, and what they 
can be expected to do in the future. The product has full CD-ROM search capability for key 
words in the basic text to related text and databases, as well as related photos and data sheets. 
Also included is a bibliography of past years of ROV/UI conference manuscripts, links to 
hundreds of ROV technology World Wide Web sites and a committee membership directory, 
including Internet addresses. The product is a truly interactive CD-ROM that offers needed 
information, accurately and rapidly. 
THE NATIONAL UNDERSEA RESEARCH PROGRAM OF NOAA [48] 
Progress in oceanography in the past quarter century has been greatly assisted by the 
development of undersea technology. The National Undersea Research Program (NURP), 
within NOAA, provides a unique national service by providing undersea scientists with the tools 
and expertise they need to work in the undersea environment. NOAA equips scientists with 
submersibles, ROVs or AUVs, mixed gas diving gear, and underwater laboratories and 
observatories. 
NOAA research programs cover a range of undersea environments from the shoreline to the 
deep sea, capturing nearly all the scientific disciplines. A compendium of NURP's scientific 
studies illustrates the significance of gathering information from the ocean. 
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