This natural adaptability and sensitivity to subtle changes in the underwater environment make our eyes remarkable tools for underwater exploration and observation.
Anyone who has had the opportunity to dive in a human occupied vehicle (HOV), or manned submersible, can attest to the vast difference between seeing the underwater world with the naked eye from inside the vehicle and viewing footage or images of the same dive—it simply doesn’t compare. This simple fact is one of the key benefits that manned subs offer to various marine sectors, serving diverse purposes and objectives.
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
The recreational and tourism marine sectors have been keen adopters of manned submersibles precisely for the incredible underwater viewing experience that these subs can provide to their occupants. Founded in 1995, SEAmagine, headquartered in California, is a prominent manufacturer of both personal and professional manned submersibles, and recently unveiled its latest AURORA series featuring five-to-nineperson interior configurations, emphasizing exceptional passenger viewing quality, comfortable seating, substantial personal space, a tranquil and quiet environment, and an overall enhanced passenger experience.
The company’s AURORA submersible series feature a remarkable extralarge singular spherical acrylic window in which the passengers sit, as well as an additional rear metal hull to further increase the interior space for occupants and to separate the pilot area from the passenger area. This enhances privacy and personal space for passengers seated in the front window while ensuring the pilot remains comfortable and unhindered in the rear. The large spherical geometry of the acrylic window offers occupants superior optics in all directions since it ensures that their line of sight remains at a consistent 90-degree angle to the window’s curvature, eliminating distortions that may occur with other window geometries.
Another remarkable feature is the serene and quiet interior of the cabin. The AURORAs boast powerful propulsion thrusters that operate without gearboxes, ensuring there is no loud pitching noise from the motors that could startle sea life or create an annoying hum inside the sub. To further enhance the peaceful atmosphere within the cabin, SEAmagine’s interior design prioritized a quiet air conditioning system and fans, contributing to the tranquil environment. SEAmagine considers soundlessness an essential feature of its submersible designs, allowing passengers to have conversations undisturbed.
SEAmagine has extensively optimized the design of its submersibles to make passenger boarding and disembarking comfortable while the vehicle floats on the surface. Unlike conventional designs with entry hatches atop acrylic bubbles (which impede the viewing field), SEAmagine’s patented approach allows passengers to board via a horizontal top-deck with handrails, entering through the rear metal section of the hull and descending a short staircase to their seats. This design enhances convenience and safety for passengers, while ensuring panoramic visibility.
MORE EXPLORATION, MORE SCIENCE
The inherent benefits of observing the deep underwater environment with the naked eye from a safe and comfortable transparent cabin extend far beyond simply fulfilling the dreams of adventure seekers. SEAmagine has just recently delivered a scientific version of its threeperson AURORA submersible, which is depthrated to 1,300 meters and is equipped with various subsea tools and sampling devices. This
SEAmagine submersible is embarking on a five-year National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition supporting scientific research aimed at expanding protected marine sanctuaries and achieving other scientific objectives. You can follow the sub’s scientific journey across the tropical Pacific, starting this Fall, by finding Pristine Seas @natgeopristineseas on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
This AURORA sub was custom fit with a sturdy protective cage surrounding it, designed to interface more effectively with the moon pool of the research vessel to which it is being integrated.
To assist the science work, the underwater navigation is based on GNSS, DVL, USBL, and Fiber-Optic Gyroscope. The vehicle is equipped with a robust manipulator, sample trays, mud samplers, water samplers, CTDs, 8K UHD camera, imaging sonar, adjustable underwater lighting, scaling lasers, and even an eDNA sampling system.
Underwater eDNA sampling involves collecting and analyzing genetic material from the water to study the presence and diversity of organisms within aquatic environments. This method is particularly useful for marine biology, ecology, and conservation efforts, as it provides a noninvasive and efficient way to monitor biodiversity and detect specific species, including those that are elusive or rare. The submersible was equipped with eighteen eDNA pump samplers each individually programmable to automatically sample along specific depth profiles and time durations during a given dive cycle.
The combination of advanced subsea tools at the fingertips of the occupants inside the submersible, along with the occupants’ unique perspective gained through direct, in situ observations, enhances insightful understanding and real-time decision-making. This highlights the enduring significance of manned submersibles as essential tools for advancing our knowledge of the ocean.
MORE OCEAN DISCOVERIES
Whether used for recreation or deep ocean science, manned submersibles enable greater accessibility to the depths so more people can make meaningful ocean discoveries.
Once you descend below 100 meters in a sub, there is a good chance you will see something undiscovered. The number of new observations already made from our subs is astounding, a frequency and occurrence that will only grow as sub operator dives become more common. “Deep-sea penetration technologies, such as SEAmagine’s, are a Godsend for scientific research and a better knowledge of these extremely difficult-to-access environments. They embody the partnership between researchers and private sea enthusiasts, which falls under the aegis of the ‘citizen science’ concept,” remarks Dr. Eric Clua DVM Ph.D. of the Center for Insular Research and Observatory of the Environment.
While SEAmagine subs are designed to grant first-hand access to “extremely difficult- to-access environments,” safety remains our number one priority. With an impeccable record of over 12,000 dives completed, SEAmagine boasts a proud reputation for a range of submersibles ranging from two to nine-person capacity, capable of diving depths from 100 to 2,300 meters. All models can be customized to meet specific requirements and are formally approved and classed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
This story was originally featured in ON&T Magazine’s August 2024 issue. Click here to read more.
