Summary

Scientists in the European Union are developing fleets of robots equipped with artificial intelligence to locate and remove waste from ocean floors. The technology aims to address marine pollution in areas too dangerous or difficult for human divers to access.

Key Facts

• AI-guided robot fleets are being developed to remove waste from European seafloors
• Testing is taking place in the Mediterranean Sea near Marseille, France
• The technology addresses hazardous conditions that limit human diving operations

Context

Testing is underway in the Mediterranean, where robotic systems use cranes and AI-guided grippers to identify and extract debris including tires and other discarded materials from the seabed. The approach replaces hazardous manual diving operations with automated systems capable of working in deeper or more contaminated waters.

Marine litter poses significant threats to ocean ecosystems, entangling wildlife and breaking down into microplastics that enter the food chain. Traditional cleanup efforts have focused primarily on surface debris, leaving vast quantities of waste accumulating on the seafloor.

The EU-funded research aims to create scalable solutions that can be deployed across European waters, with robots capable of operating autonomously while human operators monitor progress from vessels above.

Sources

• Phys.org