Abstract
An underwater research vessel designed in the USA is set to be a testbed for a host of technical innovations. Nereid HT (Hybrid Tether), developed by the independent Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), is both a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and can also operate on a spectrum between these control classifications. Exploring the deep ocean is fraught with difficulties arising from the enormous pressures at depth and the difficulties of communication, particularly for untethered vessels. In-water transmissions have been restricted to relatively low-bandwidth acoustic communications. Nereid HT can change between remote and autonomous control modes according to the communication systems available to it. These range from low-bandwidth acoustics to WHOI's new optical modem or gigabyte Ethernet connections provided by a physical connection through its tether. Nereid is said to be one of the most advanced and versatile unmanned submersibles in the world. In 2016 it was tested to a depth of 2500m during engineering sea trials in Panama.
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