<p>University and high school students from around the world competed in the 6th Annual Navy Underwater Robotic Submarine Competition at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC San Diego) at Point Loma, July 13-15. </p>
<p>The goal of the event was to help advance the science of autonomous underwater vehicles by challenging a new generation of engineers to perform realistic missions in an underwater environment.</p>
<p>"The ultimate goal is to some day replace jobs that are capable to be used by unmanned systems, especially ones that put people in harm's way," said competition coordinator Steve Koepenick from SSC San Diego.</p>
<p>The mission for each team and their specially designed vehicle was to complete a challenge course that requires precise maneuvers, such as docking at an underwater station, marking a location and recovering an object.</p>
<p>"We were given six months to fulfill the requirements for this competition," said project leader Kevin Claycomb from the University of Florida. "Your team does everything from planning the mission to recording the progress while the competition is going on. It's a lot of work, but definitely helps distinguish yourself from other people in your field by participating in this."</p>
<p>The Naval Academy's team competed with 24 other teams from various universities from the United States, Canada, Japan and India, as well as two high school teams and one home-schooled team.</p>
<p>The site of the competition, SSC San Diego's Transducer Evaluation Center's (TRANSDEC) pool, is a one-of-a-kind facility that simulates an "ocean" of water, free of echoes and provides ideal conditions for research.</p>
<p>Fire Controlman 2nd Class Mendel Barker in the Unmanned Systems Branch at SSC San Diego said they are happy to sponsor this event.</p>
<p>"The TRANSDEC pool allows us to be close to home and be in a familiar environment while we watch the progress of the teams," said Barker.</p>
<p>"The center has a New Professionals program that hires recent college graduates," said Koepenick. "Students out here may some day be SSC San Diego employees."</p>
<p>The team from the University of Florida came in first place for the third consecutive year. The Naval Academy team placed seventh in the competition.</p>
<p>For more news from around the fleet, visit <a href="http://www.navy.mil%5B/url%5D">www.navy.mil</a>.
Story Number: NNS070718-10 - Release Date: 7/18/2007 1:44:00 PM</p>
<p>Copyright 2007 Federal Information and News Dispatch, Inc.
Defense Department Documents and Publications
July 18, 2007</p>