Advancing underwater robotics at UD

For Christine Dennison and Tim Taylor, pioneering ocean explorers and power couple in the world of underwater exploration, OTIS is more than just a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). It's a labor of love and a machine that they custom built and personally funded. Now, the internationally renowned couple who founded the Lost 52 Project, Ocean Outreach Non-Profit and Tiburon Subsea, Inc., a marine robotics company, have generously donated OTIS to the University of Delaware.

Taylor, renowned for his ocean exploration and technological innovation, has led major underwater expeditions and was honored with the U.S. Navy's highest civilian medal, the Distinguished Public Service Award, for his discoveries and mapping and documentation of lost submarines and 700 lost WWII sailors. Dennison, as co-founder and president of Mad Dog Expeditions, has spearheaded international technical diving operations, contributed to high-profile media campaigns, and earned recognition as a Fellow of both the Explorers Club and Royal Geographical Society. Together, their leadership, media presence, and dedication to marine science and conservation have made a lasting impact on ocean exploration and help inspire future generations of adventurers.

Dennison and Taylor had long been aware of UD and were especially impressed by the robotics program. Given UD's stellar research and highly involved student body, Dennison and Taylor are confident OTIS will be put to good use.

"OTIS is a platform for people to ask questions," Taylor said. "If you have the right tool, you ask different questions. OTIS may allow everybody in different departments in the University to ask new questions. As a platform, it opens itself up to the ability for UD to develop payloads for it, sensors, different sleds that can collect samples. There's a whole host of things that can be asked and done with that."