Unit 1: Introduction to Underwater Robotics

Anatomy of an ROV: The difference between an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).

Marine Challenges: The basic physical hurdles of working underwater, including pressure, saltwater corrosion, and limited visibility.

Real-World Applications: How underwater robots are used in oil/gas exploration, marine biology research, and search-and-rescue.

Case Study Analysis: Watch footage of deep-sea exploration (e.g., Nautilus Live or NOAA) to identify specific ROV components like manipulators, cameras, and tether systems.

Component Inventory: Unbox the SeaPerch kits and identify every part by its technical name (e.g., differentiating between a thruster housing and a PVC elbow).

Mission Brainstorming: Work in teams to define a "problem" their robot will solve (e.g., "Our ROV needs to collect plastic debris from a simulated reef").

The "Mission Proposal" Pitch: On Day 5, student teams must present a 2-minute "Mission Briefing." They will explain a specific real-world scenario where their ROV would be deployed and list three specific design features their robot will need to succeed in that environment.