Internet-based tele-operation of an ROV in Antarctica

Some Internet-based marine robotic teleoperation tests were carried out between December 2001 and January 2002 in the course of the XVII Italian Expedition to Antarctica. During the experiments, manifold users connected to the World Wide Web had the opportunity to remotely operate the Romeo ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) immersed in the Antarctic sea near the Terra Nova Bay Italian Base. These experiments are, according to authors’ knowledge, the first example of satellite teleoperation of a ROV directly usable by users surfing on the web.