Sarcos, VideoRay partner to offer underwater robotic systems

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Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation and VideoRay have announced they signed an agreement to offer integrated underwater robotic systems. These systems will combine VideoRay’s remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) with the Sarcos Guardian Sea Class robotic system, including its power-efficient dexterous arm. 

Under the terms of the agreement, Sarcos and VideoRay will be able to sell an integrated robotic system, sell their respective individual products and provide replacement parts and repair services and support. 

“This collaboration is significant for the industry as it will enable Sarcos and VideoRay customers to easily purchase a pre-integrated system combining VideoRay’s best-in-class remotely operated vehicles with our advanced one- or two-armed Sea Class system,” said Kiva Allgood, president and CEO, Sarcos. “Through this relationship, we aim to make it easy for customers to acquire and deploy complete underwater systems and we look forward to continuing working closely with VideoRay moving forward.”

Sarcos’ Guardian Sea Class robotic system has a modular design, making it easy to integrate with VideoRay’s lineup of one-person portable ROVs. VideoRay’s systems deliver enough power and maneuverability to enable operation in currents up to four knots. 

The Guardian Sea Class system can be operated with one, two, or six-degree of freedom arms and can perform in depths of up to one kilometer for up to two hours. RE2, which was acquired by Sarcos in March 2022 for $100 million, and VideoRay collaborated last year to hit the underwater depth milestone of one kilometer. 

The companies achieved the milestone using the Maritime Mine Neutralization System (M2NS), which was able to dive more than a kilometer deep during an open-water demonstration for the US Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR). 

M2NS’ base is VideoRay’s inspection-class Defender remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Mounted onto the ROV the RE2 Sapien Sea Class, an older version of the Guardian Sea Class robotic system. M2NS also used RE2 Detect and RE2 Intellect to see the world around it and act autonomously. 

Sarcos’ Guardian Sea Class system can be teleoperated via supervised autonomy and is electronically driven. This means that the Guardian Sea Class eliminates the need for the added weight, size, and expense that comes with hydraulic power unit systems. 

“VideoRay has designed our remotely operated vehicles to perform critical jobs in the harshest environments,” Chris Gibson, CEO of VideoRay, said. “Our ROVs are a natural fit with the Guardian Sea Class system and, when combined, we believe that the packaged solution offers the most advanced underwater inspection capability on the market today.”