SRI Mass Spectrometer Successfully Merges with Bluefin AUV  



By Ashley Addington



SRI International has successfully integrated its in situ membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) device into Bluefin Robotics’ Bluefin-12 autonomous underwater vehicle.  



This breakthrough will help current ocean researchers and wildlife activists monitor and protect a variety of resources available through the ocean, the company says. This integration will also allow further exploration of oil and gas availability and how the oil industry is affecting its surrounding marine ecosystem.



The mass spectrometer has the ability to also identify an array of chemical products and organic compounds. 



"The ability to combine highly sensitive and calibrated mass spectrometry with AUVs gives researchers and industry a new tool for critical underwater survey applications," Timothy Short, manager of the Marine and Space Sensing Group in the Space and Marine Technology Program at SRI International, said in a press release. "Much as we are seeing an increase in valuable data collection applications for unmanned aerial vehicles, we can now collect and analyze underwater data more efficiently and accurately. The integrated SRI-Bluefin solution is unprecedented for its ease of deployment, advanced survey capabilities, and reduced cost of operations."   



The SRI MIMS device is capable of continuous measurement when it is on the ocean floor. It also protects workers by taking on dangerous tasks and is more budget friendly, SRI says. The demonstration occurred in Menlo Park, Calif. on 11 Dec.