At Seabed 2030 we believe that mapping the ocean is a truly global effort – not just for scientists, governments and industries, but for innovators everywhere. A recent message from a group of young robotics students in Greece demonstrated just how far-reaching our mission can be.
The non-profit educational organisation KEPE Aristotelio (Science Culture Educational Center), based in the city of Volos, runs a variety of programmes – including the formation and training of robotics teams for the international FIRST® LEGO® League Greece competition, organised by its National Partner, Eduact.
Within the framework of the competition, KEPE Aristotelio supported ‘Boom Bots’ – a team of ten students aged between 12 and 14 – who were tasked with researching, designing and constructing an innovative solution to a real-world problem faced by ocean researchers.
During their research, the team became especially interested in the challenge of mapping the ocean floor. They were particularly struck by a comment made by Seabed 2030 Center Head Larry Mayer in a documentary, in which he notes: “With the current technology, it would take 200 years for one ship to map the whole ocean. Or 200 ships one year”.
Motivated by this challenge, the team explored multiple ideas before developing ‘Removable Sonar for all Ships (RSFS)’ – a deployable grid of floating sensors that attach to the stern of ships. These sensors, which can be transferred between vessels, could turn everyday maritime traffic into a powerful data-collection network.
The Boom Bots team refined their concept to focus on scalability, adaptability and efficiency. The RSFS system they developed is designed as a modular, removable array of floats – each carrying sonar transmitters and receivers – that can be quickly attached to and removed from the stern of ships.
The floats are engineered to be hydrodynamic – stable in rough waters, and energy-efficient, with minimal drag. By designing the system to be transferable between vessels, the team aimed to overcome the limitations of relying solely on dedicated mapping ships.
The concept has already attracted enthusiastic feedback from marine engineers, academics, and industry professionals – and the team is now even considering applying for a patent.
Hearing from the Boom Bots team is a reminder of why Seabed 2030’s mission matters. We’re proud to see our work inspiring the next generation of ocean innovators. Everyone has a role to play in bringing us one step closer to a complete map of the ocean floor.