New $7m XPRIZE to focus on ocean exploration

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Mapping the ocean floor is one of the competition challenges..

A new XPRIZE competition has been announced which will see entrants building autonomous underwater vehicles capable of exploring the ocean at depths up to 4,000m.

The Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE will challenge teams to design vehicles with sea floor mapping, capturing high-resolution images of a specific object, and identifying archaeological, biological or geological features. They must also demonstrate their durability by operating when deployed from shore and from the air.

Mapping the ocean floor is one of the key competition challenges. (Credit: XPRIZE)
Mapping the ocean floor is one of the key competition challenges. (Credit: XPRIZE)

Mapping the ocean floor is one of the competition challenges.

The competition will take place over three years. Registration is open for the next nine months, followed by 12 months for initial solution development and 18 months to complete two rounds of testing and judging by an expert panel. Entrants are invited to battle it out for a share of the $7m prize fund, with a $4m grand prize awarded to the overall winner.

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