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The World's Biggest Undersea Robot

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the getting-lots-of-work-lately dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "According to redOrbit.com, companies installing subsea cables for telecommunications companies and pipelines for the oil industry now have a new tool, the UT-1 Ultra Trencher which is the world's biggest subsea robot. This beauty weighs 60 tons (out of the water) and has a length of 7.8 meters, a width of 7.8 meters and a height of 5.6 meters. In fact, it has the dimensions of a small house but is more expensive, carrying a price tag of about £10 million. It can move at a speed of 2 to 3 knots under the sea. And it can trench pipelines with a 1-meter diameter in deep waters of up to 1,500 meters."

12 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Sadly no, by imamac · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...it does NOT run Linux.

    1. Re:Sadly no, by networkBoy · · Score: 3, Funny

      but does it blend? Quite effectively I would imagine, much to the dismay of sea cucumbers, and other seafloor dwelling creatures.
      --
      whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
  2. In other news.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    The Open UT-1 Ultra Trencher project announced that it has been accepted to Google's Summer of Code. Prospective students must have access to their own UT-1 to be considered.

  3. dimensions of a small house... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    it has the dimensions of a small house but is more expensive, carrying a price tag of about £10 million
    Hmmm... judging by the UK housing market, it'll probably soon be cheaper to live in an undersea cable robot worth £10 million... sub-prime mortgages not withstanding...
  4. Re:So if undersea cables criss-cross each other... by timmarhy · · Score: 2, Funny

    wow there might be an issue 100 years in the future, better abandon the project.

    --
    If you mod me down, I will become more powerful than you can imagine....
  5. The Abyss? by Pedrito · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is it just me or does that look like it came right out of the movie The Abyss? It looks like a yellow, miniature version of their habitat. I'm sure the MPAA is working on their patent lawsuit.

  6. Re:Not A Robot by mrbluze · · Score: 2, Funny

    Robots have at least some degree of autonomy. This is a bad-ass RC vehicle. "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't cut that undersea cable."
    --
    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  7. Re:So if undersea cables criss-cross each other... by mrbluze · · Score: 4, Funny

    There are a huge number of undersea cables and pipes that currently reside on the surface of the ocean floor. How will they be affected by this device? Remember to Dial Before You Dig, and after you dig, dial again to make sure you severed the cable.
    --
    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  8. Crafty excuse for the wife by DTemp · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wife: Aww, you're gonna be out a couple days working again?

    You: Yep, I'll be out laying pipe.

  9. Re:Incorrect... by dwater · · Score: 4, Funny

    But you linked, and so are informative. ..and you disagreed, so you are insightful.
    --
    Max.
  10. The Terrible Secret of Oceans by plover · · Score: 2, Funny
    I was more interested in knowing if it was a pusher robot or a shover robot.

    Grandma is protected at the bottom of the ocean.

    --
    John
  11. Re:So if undersea cables criss-cross each other... by plover · · Score: 2, Funny

    Remember to Dial Before You Dig, and after you dig, dial again to make sure you severed the cable.

    Wow, I didn't know my phone installer posted on slashdot! Hi there, remember me? Green house, picket fence, you cut my cable the DAY OF THE SOPRANOS FINAL EPISODE!!! AAAAUUUGGGHH!!!

    --
    John