The RoboPI group at the University of Florida’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, led by Md Jahidul Islam, PhD, recently joined forces with the Ocean Rescue Alliance International (ORAI) and the International SeaKeepers Society to advance marine robotics for ecosystem monitoring. The collaboration focused on testing fully autonomous survey and mapping technologies designed to better understand the growth and health of remote marine habitats.
Drawing on ORAI’s extensive experience in marine conservation and restoration, and SeaKeepers’ global network of vessels supporting oceanographic research, the teams successfully deployed and tested innovative underwater systems. “We use artificial structures to enhance marine environments, build habitats, conduct restoration, protect coastlines, and connect communities,” said Dr. Shelby Thomas, CEO and founder of ORAI. “Partnering with UF allows us to explore cutting-edge ways to monitor and document our artificial reefs.”
SeaKeepers Program Development Manager Aubri Keith highlighted the educational impact: “Providing resources and hands-on marine science experiences to students is key to ensuring the ocean’s future. Our work connects scientists with the vessels and dive support they need to maximize research potential.”
“Our goal is to create autonomous systems that can operate in challenging underwater environments for extended periods, delivering actionable insights without the need for constant human intervention. Partnerships like this one are key to translating our research into real-world impact.”
Md Jahidul Islam, phd
Yangbin Wang Endowed Rising Star Assistant Professor
Robots in Action
During the trials, held at ORAI’s Hollywood artificial reef site off Hollywood Beach, Florida, the RoboPI team deployed two robotic systems: (1) NemoSens AUV: equipped with side-scan sonar and HD cameras for high-resolution mapping and habitat imaging; and (2) CavePI AUV: a custom-built autonomous underwater vehicle developed in Dr. Islam’s lab for navigating and mapping complex underwater environments. The Hollywood artificial reef is part of ORAI’s 1000 Mermaids Project, which currently includes 25 reef modules—five artistic sculptures and 20 functional habitat structures. This site will also serve as a location for future coral outplanting efforts as part of ORAI’s broader restoration strategy.
Graduate students David Blow and Ruo Chen, both trained scientific divers, complemented the robot-collected data with handheld camera imagery, enabling comprehensive visual documentation of the site. They were led by scientific divers Dr. Shelby Thomas and Aubri Keith in and around the site for data collection and recovery.
A Model for Marine Monitoring Solutions
By integrating advanced robotics with proven conservation practices, this collaboration showcases a model for scalable, repeatable marine ecosystem monitoring. The approach has potential applications beyond artificial reefs, extending to natural reef restoration, environmental impact assessments, and long-term climate resilience studies. Dr. Islam sees this as just the beginning: “Our goal is to create autonomous systems that can operate in challenging underwater environments for extended periods, delivering actionable insights without the need for constant human intervention. Partnerships like this one are key to translating our research into real-world impact.”
As the deployments continue and the data is analyzed, the RoboPI Lab, ORAI, and SeaKeepers are charting a course toward smarter, more sustainable ocean stewardship—powered by innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to protecting marine life.