Innovations in Marine Technology: Changing How We Study the Oceans

The study of the ocean has always been a dynamic and exciting field. Rapid advancement of technology is changing our ability to explore new territories in marine science. This post offers insight into this progressing new era of research.

Introduction: The Ocean’s Unexplored Frontiers

This summer, I participated in a project to place satellite transmitters on fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). These four-inch epoxy-covered computerized devices, when fixed on the dorsal fin, relay the geographic positions of the animals when they surface, providing data for up to three months.

Getting within 10 meters of a fast-moving 60-70 foot whale to affix a tag is no easy feat. However, the value of that data is enormous. As I bobbed in a small boat, I thought how incredible it is that we still don’t fully understand the basic movement patterns of the second largest animal on the planet. But how can you realistically follow animals that spend so much time underwater, travel at 20 miles per hour, and likely move far from shore during the winter- it is no wonder that their ecology remains largely mysterious. In fact, so much of the ocean—covering 70% of the planet—is still unexplored.

For centuries, humans have gazed at the ocean, wondering what lies beneath the surface. Today, thanks to technological advances, we are closer to discovering those secrets. Why should we care about the deep, dark, often inhospitable parts of the ocean? For scientists like me, the answer is clear—knowledge is inherently important, particularly given human-caused changes to ocean dynamics.

An important awareness for the general public is also that human life is deeply intertwined with the health of the ocean. The ocean plays a pivotal role in regulating Earth’s climate, supports vast biodiversity, and provides resources we all depend on. As climate change accelerates, understanding the ocean is not just a scientific pursuit—it’s a necessity.

In recent years, specialized technology has become our strongest ally in this mission. What once may have felt like science fiction—autonomous robots navigating the ocean depths, sensors that can detect minute chemical changes in the water, vehicles that can withstand the crushing pressure of the deep sea, and even the satellite tracker tags placed on whales—has now become a reality. As marine systems are vast and often inhospitable, these technological advancements are revolutionizing how we explore, understand, navigate, and protect our oceans.

Marine Specialized Technology: Tools for Probing the Depths

As a child, I was fascinated by exploring the unknown. The abyssal deep sea is as unknown as it gets, with inhospitable conditions that a human body cannot withstand comparable only to outer space. Yet life not only exists there but thrives in strange forms. Some scientists hypothesize that life on Earth may have begun in deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

Scientists have always needed technology to access these impenetrable places. Many of us still remember watching Jacques Cousteau’s early explorations of the ocean depths. While Cousteau’s innovations were groundbreaking, modern technology has since brought significant advancements.

Today’s deep-sea marine specialized technology resembles space rovers—remotely operated machines equipped with scientific tools, probes, and cameras that can withstand immense pressure and cold temperatures. The major types of deep-sea technology include:

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs): Self-guided vehicles that explore the ocean without human control, collecting data on the seafloor and water column.
Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs): Controlled by operators on the surface, ROVs are equipped with cameras, lights, and sampling tools.
Deep-Sea Submersibles: Able to withstand immense pressure, submersibles can be manned or unmanned and have been instrumental in major discoveries.
Underwater Drones: Agile and affordable, underwater drones are revolutionizing shallow water research. The Australian Institute of Marine Science is even integrating AI into drones to monitor coral reefs.

Marine Robotics: Enhancing Oceanographic Research

Robotics bridges imagination and engineering, and marine robotics is no exception. The ocean is a challenging, unpredictable environment, but advancements in robotics are enhancing our ability to study it. These tools expand the scope of data collection, providing more precise information.

As a mariner, I rely on accurate real-time data for field travel. Oceanographic buoys equipped with sensors are invaluable in this regard, providing information about sea conditions. As a scientist, long-term data across large spatial scales is essential. While satellites offer insights into ocean conditions, they often provide coarse resolutions.

Robotics has transformed data collection by offering faster platforms to access more detailed and precise data, enhancing our understanding of marine environments.

Some common marine robotic tools include:

Ocean Gliders: Slow, efficient vehicles that cover vast distances, collecting data on temperature, salinity, and currents.
Profiling Floats: These autonomous devices collect vertical profiles of ocean conditions and are invaluable for refining extreme weather forecasts. The floats usually include satellite transmitters, electronics, CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) sensors, high performance batteries, and hydraulic systems that mimic fish bladders.
Oceanographic Buoys: These fixed or drifting buoys monitor weather, temperature, salinity, and wave height, providing real-time data for research and safety.

Advancements in Sensor Technology: Expanding Our Understanding

How do you detect conditions when you’re not physically present? Sensors—integrated into platforms like AUVs, ROVs, and ocean buoys—collect critical data on oceanographic and biological conditions. There are several types of specialized sensors in use today:

Acoustic Sensors: Sound waves can travel great distances underwater. Active acoustic devices emit sound waves and analyze their echoes, allowing researchers to map underwater features. Passive acoustic sensors detect sounds from organisms like whales.
Optical Sensors: These measure how light interacts with the ocean, providing data on water clarity and plankton distribution.
Chemical Sensors: These detect substances like nutrients, gases, and pollutants, helping scientists monitor ocean health and biogeochemical cycles.
Environmental DNA (eDNA): A cutting-edge tool, eDNA detects species’ presence through genetic material left in the environment, offering a non-invasive way to study marine life.

The Impact of Marine Technology on the Study of the Ocean

A mysterious ctenophore jellyfish was documented in the abyss in 1910 but only one sample of this enigmatic species was found again during the next hundred years. The ocean is still full of similar unsolved puzzles- but this is rapidly changing with the advancement of marine specialized technology.

Recently, NOAA found and collected an abyssal ctenophore using an ROV and used DNA sequencing to match it to that original 1910 species. This is just one example of how technology is transforming ocean studies. We can now explore previously unreachable parts of the ocean, discovering new species, mapping underwater mountains, and uncovering deep-sea ecosystems. Technology has revolutionized oceanographic research, enabling faster, data-rich investigations that yield insights into ocean circulation, climate influences, and weather event predictions.

In marine conservation, these advancements are critical; we now possess the tools to monitor marine protected areas, track endangered species, and assess coral reef health—data that is essential for informed conservation strategies to protect the ocean for future generations. Moreover, as the ocean serves as a vital source of food, energy, and minerals, sustainable resource management has become more achievable with the precise monitoring capabilities provided by advanced marine specialized technology, guiding decisions in fisheries management and the exploration of pursuits such as deep-sea mining and marine energy production.

The Future of Marine Technology: What’s on the Horizon?

The future of ocean exploration is bright, driven by innovative technologies like AI and machine learning. AI-equipped robots are being trained to identify organisms and track them without disturbing their natural behavior.

These robots are built to withstand previously inaccessible places like polar sea ice and underwater volcanoes. Swarm robotics, where multiple robots are deployed from a single “mothership,” is another exciting development. These robots can work together and coordinate underwater missions, making it possible to monitor features of climate change such as the melting of marine glaciers.

As these robots advance, scientists are also starting to abandon the traditional metallic robot structure to incorporate the more natural abilities of marine life, perfected over millions of years of evolution to oceanic conditions. New innovations are heightening the efficiency and mobility of marine robotics.

Conclusion: A New Era of Ocean Exploration

While I’ve spent most of my life training to be a field marine researcher using traditional methods, I cannot help but be excited by the potential of marine technology. AI and robotics are not replacing scientists but enhancing our ability to ask and answer important research questions.

By using autonomous devices or remotely accessible drones that are equipped with specialized sensors, we can access previously unreachable ocean locations to sample like never before, pushing the boundaries of what we can know about the ocean.

Many mysteries remain, and continued innovation is necessary. Collaboration between institutions is also becoming increasingly important as we share technology and resources. This is an exciting time to enter the field of marine science!

If you are passionate about contributing to this growing field, Unity Environmental University offers multiple programs to get you closer to achieving this goal. Two separate graduate programs integrate marine science into masters degrees- check out both Unity’s MPS in Marine Policy and Management and MS in Marine Conservation Biology. These programs offer current knowledge and integrate critical skills needed to be at the forefront of marine research and decision-making.

Written by Dr. Tanya Lubansky, Baccalaureate Assistant Professor of Marine Biology and Sustainable Aquaculture

Info For