Shipboard design and fabrication of custom 3D-printed soft robotic manipulators for the investigation of delicate deep-sea organisms

A groundbreaking approach using shipboard 3D printing of soft robotic manipulators enables delicate interactions with fragile deep-sea organisms, addressing longstanding challenges in sampling and studying these species. Deployed via a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) at depths reaching 2224 meters in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA), these custom-designed manipulators successfully grasped goniasterids and holothurians—organisms historically difficult to collect undamaged with rigid tools or suction samplers. Rapid iterative design, fabrication, and testing at sea allowed for real-time adaptations, such as adding 'fingernails,' enhancing precision. This method offers a less invasive alternative to traditional sampling, benefiting slow-growing deep-sea organisms, some of which can be up to 18,000 years old. By combining soft robotics with on-the-fly fabrication, the study demonstrates a scalable solution for exploring delicate marine ecosystems in remote and logistically challenging environments.

Vogt, D. M., Becker, K. P., Phillips, B. T., Graule, M. A., Rotjan, R. D., Shank, T. M., Cordes, E. E., Wood, R. J., & Gruber, D. F. (2018). Shipboard design and fabrication of custom 3D-printed soft robotic manipulators for the investigation of delicate deep-sea organisms. Plos One, 13(8), e0200386. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0200386