This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.

University of Delaware scientists are helping develop the next generation of coastal research tools. One of those technologies is called an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, or AUV. This 9-foot torpedo-shaped device explores below the water’s surface, gathering information on water chemistry, including salinity, temperature, and oxygen levels, and taking video and high-tech images of the seafloor. The AUV can operate in places and conditions where other research vessels and humans cannot — including very shallow waters and depths of more than 700 feet. Once submerged, the AUV can get close to features on the seafloor without disturbing them. These fascinating robots are the new frontier in ocean science and provide opportunities to see underwater environments seldom if ever explored. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.