A new €2 million underwater robot which will inspect, repair and maintain facilities for the Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) sector has been unveiled in Limerick city.

The Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) was officially launched by Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen TD, at the docks on Monday, 23 April.

The Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funded ROV Étaín can operate in challenging wind, wave, and tidal conditions. Researchers at the University of Limerick's Centre for Robotics and Intelligence Systems have enhanced a commercially available ROV system with UL-developed advanced control software (OceanRings), precision navigation and flight control, state-of-the-art robotic imaging and sonar systems and fully automated manipulator systems.

These features will allow the robot to operate in the challenging environment of ocean renewable energy to support inspection, repair and maintenance operations.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of State Pat Breen said: "Internationally, the offshore renewable energy sector is set to rapidly grow which will help to reduce carbon emissions and arrest climate change.

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"Ireland has the best wind and wave resources in Europe and it is vital that as an island nation we invest and engage in research in the area of marine energy technology. Therefore, I'm delighted to today launch this ROV which will support Ireland's growing offshore renewable energy sector."

Professor Daniel Toal, Director of the Centre for Robotics and Intelligence Systems at UL, explained: "Operation support in the MRE sector usually occurs on floating infrastructures so conditions are regularly beyond the capability and operating limits of commercial ROV technology. This means new smart ROV systems capability is necessary and that is what our team at UL has developed and launched today."

UL's Centre for Robotics and Intelligence Systems is part of the University College Cork led SFI national Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy Ireland (MaREI). The MaREI robotics lab at UL leads operations support engineering projects with industry partners such as Shannon Foynes Port Company, ESB, Ireland's National Space Centre, SonarSim, Teledyne, Resolve Marine, CIL, IDS Monitoring and among others.

University of Limerick President, Dr Des Fitzgerald, said: "The advanced robotics technology developed at UL will be crucial in supporting the burgeoning marine renewable energy sector.

"It will also play a significant role in reducing the cost of installing and maintaining large-scale offshore energy generation infrastructure. As the worldwide marine renewable energy sector grows, UL's research contribution in this area will have even greater impact.

"I am particularly happy to see this advanced UL technology being developed, trialled and launched in Limerick City docks. The UL robotics base at the docks is just one of our commitments to grow and maintain strong links between the campus and the heart of Limerick city, with strategic partners like Shannon Foynes Port Company."

Image: Cathal O'Donnell of UL's Centre for Robotics and Intelligence Systems runs through checks on ROV Étaín.

(LM/MH)