Underwater Robot Scientist Can Plan Experiments, Analyze Samples

It's a robot that could change the way scientists gather data from underwater sources. Researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in California have developed a new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), and like other AUVs this sophisticated robot can slip under the waves, sweep the ocean floor, collect data, and perform programmed tasks. But the "Gulper" goes one step further--it doesn't just follow its program, it can also make decisions on its own, and can