Exploring the deep sea can help humanity understand the evolution of the Earth and life, discover new species, learn how organisms survive in extremely harsh environments, and, in today’s age of looming energy crises, provide the means to detect and exploit new sources of energy that rely heavily on deep-sea exploration capabilities.
The vast ocean has an average depth of about 3,700 meters, but below 100 meters almost no light penetrates, and with every additional 10 meters of depth, the water pressure increases by one atmosphere. Such dark and high-pressure conditions form the greatest obstacles to human exploration of the deep sea, which is why it has earned the nickname “inner space.” However, humanity’s longing to explore the deep sea has driven the rapid development of underwater technologies in recent decades. Deep-sea exploration began in the 1960s, when two American scientists aboard the submersible Trieste (which used 85,000 liters of gasoline for buoyancy) reached the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point on Earth at 10,911 meters—a world first.
In 1985, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) used a towed vehicle called Argo to confirm the location of the wreck of the Titanic. The following year, they used the crewed submersible HOV Alvin and the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Jason to reach the wreck site at 3,800 meters, bringing back valuable imagery.
At the end of 2012, famed American director James Cameron led a team that built the advanced DeepSea Challenger, successfully descending into the Challenger Deep at a depth of 10,907 meters to conduct observation and sampling work. To this day, numerous marine research institutions worldwide continue to conduct various oceanographic studies and deep-sea expeditions in an effort to unveil the mysteries of the deep.
The ocean covers about 70% of Earth’s surface, and 94% of the planet’s species live within it, yet humanity knows little about it. Because the ocean contains abundant natural resources and valuable records of Earth’s history, deep-sea exploration helps us analyze Earth’s and life’s evolutionary processes, discover new organisms, understand how life adapts to hostile conditions, and develop the ability to detect and extract new energy resources in times of global energy shortages.
For these reasons, Taiwan’s Ocean Center, as one of the nation’s most important marine research institutions, will accompany society in exploring this unknown frontier. This process will undoubtedly reshape many traditional perspectives—from sensory impressions to scientific issues such as seafloor earthquakes.
Self-Developed Observation-Class ROV
After years of design experience, the Ocean Center’s technical team successfully developed a nearshore observational ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle) capable of operating at depths of 100–200 meters. Its main components include the ROV body, coaxial cable, and control console. The ROV body is about 40 cm long, 30 cm wide, 30 cm tall, and weighs about 10 kg. It includes a high-resolution camera and powerful LED lighting, with power supplied from a 110V AC source onshore through the cable.
The shore-based control box integrates a display panel and joystick for controlling the ROV’s propulsion and functions, with USB storage capability for recording footage. Through the cable, live video, water temperature, and pressure data can be transmitted in real-time. This ROV is suitable for applications such as underwater pipeline inspection, exploration in hazardous liquid environments (e.g., nuclear fuel pools), hull inspections, and ecological surveys.
New Underwater Camera
In addition to the ROV, the Ocean Center also collaborated with National Sun Yat-sen University to develop a new underwater camera. This device features cloud-based calibration, 1080p high resolution, infrared penetration, and long-term waterproofing. Its most practical application is in aquaculture monitoring.
In southern Taiwan, areas such as Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and Tainan are major aquaculture centers. Farmers often ask: “Is there a simple way to tell if shrimp are healthy? Is the feed sufficient? How do we clean up waste?” Using this real-time high-resolution imaging technology, farmers can monitor shrimp feeding behavior, adjust feed quantity and frequency, reduce costs, and prevent water pollution.
Clear footage also helps assess pond-bottom conditions, reducing risks from decaying organic matter and pathogenic buildup. Even in turbid water, shrimp size and behavior can be observed, serving as water quality indicators. This provides farmers with early warnings of potential disease, helping prevent devastating outbreaks.
Ocean-Bottom Seismometers
An ocean-bottom seismometer is a system that places seismic sensors on the seabed to monitor and record seismic data, improving accuracy in locating earthquake epicenters and understanding seafloor geological structures. To this end, the Ocean Center, Academia Sinica’s Institute of Earth Sciences, and National Sun Yat-sen University’s Undersea Technology Research Center formed a joint team to develop and integrate the seismometer’s core components and key technologies.
The design must ensure proper weight balance so that the instrument remains stable when descending and settles correctly on the seabed. After multiple refinements, a broadband-capable seismometer has been developed that can operate at depths of up to 5,000 meters. With 28 successful sea trials confirming its stability, this system expands Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring capacity.
Submersibles
Humanity has developed many types of equipment for deep-sea exploration. These include autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), which follow pre-programmed scripts; human-operated vehicles (HOVs); and, most commonly, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
An ROV is a remotely controlled underwater robot, generally equipped with a central computer, thrusters, cameras, lights, and robotic arms. Power and data are transmitted via a cable connected to the surface vessel, which also means ROVs are not limited by onboard power supply. ROVs are classified into five levels: observation-class, observation with additional payload, work-class, towed-class, and prototype.
Observation-class ROVs are typically small, portable systems used for inspecting port infrastructure, ship hulls, reservoirs, shallow cables, or nearshore biological surveys. Their compact design allows easy transport and rapid deployment.
Work-class and towed-class ROVs, by contrast, are large, requiring dedicated vessels and deployment systems. Work-class ROVs are equipped with hydraulic systems and heavy-duty manipulators for underwater construction and can carry multiple instruments. Towed-class ROVs specialize in laying seabed pipelines and cables. Prototype ROVs are custom-built for specific tasks, such as WHOI’s Jason II and Nereus.
Ocean Center’s Work-Class ROV
The Ocean Center currently operates a work-class ROV system capable of reaching depths of 3,000 meters, suitable for most areas around Taiwan. Its hydraulic system provides 150 horsepower for thrusters and manipulators, with an additional 250 kg payload capacity for instruments or samples.
The ROV is equipped with nine cameras, including two HD units, for real-time high-quality imaging. Powerful lights restore the natural colors of the dark seafloor. Navigation sonar helps operators avoid obstacles, while acoustic transponders provide positioning between the ship, the ROV, and seafloor targets.
The ROV has eight hydraulic thrusters (four horizontal, four vertical) and two robotic arms. One titanium alloy manipulator can lift 454 kg, while the second includes force-feedback to alert operators when load limits are reached. Sixteen hydraulic channels are available for future expansion.
A detachable tool basket was also designed to provide extra storage for instruments and collected samples. Recent integration tests combined the ROV, tool basket, and a “vibrational coring system” for geological sampling, along with real-world pilot training.
ROV operations require two pilots working from the ship’s control room, where a central console handles all functions: movement, cameras, lights, manipulators, sensors, and system monitoring. A video wall displays real-time feeds, sonar, electronic charts, and positioning data for navigation.
The ROV is connected to the ship through a communications cable and deployment system. The fiber-optic cable handles high-voltage power and high-volume data transfer. Deployment requires an A-frame, winch, and specialized handling gear, as the ROV weighs 5 tons.
Venturing into “inner space” may not happen overnight, but with technological advances, humanity is gradually uncovering the true face of the deep sea. In fact, the ocean is a resource-rich natural classroom, full of knowledge and materials awaiting discovery. As an island nation, Taiwan should strive to understand it more deeply. With accumulated expertise in marine science, engineering, and deep-sea technologies, Taiwan is steadily advancing toward mature underwater exploration capabilities. The dream of diving into the deep sea is no longer beyond reach.