Development of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for Behavioral Studies of Octopus and other Marine Animals by Video Technique

Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage AK

Investigators

Abstract

0115882 Scheel This Major Research Instrumentation award to Alaska Pacific University will provide support for development of an autonomous underwater vehicle for study of marine animal behavior. In collaboration with researchers from University of Arizona and Colorado School of Mines, the team will develop a remotely-controlled vehicle for following and recording by video technique the behavior of tagged individuals of the Giant Pacific Octopus, Enteroctopus dofleini. Once developed and tested, it is expected that this instrumentation may be applied to behavioral and ecological research on a wide array of marine organisms, many of which are very difficult for humans to observe directly in their native habitats. ***