This Remotely Operated This remotely operated vehicle will be made available to visitors at the Department of Marine Resources Aquarium this summer, giving them a glimpse of the ocean bottom. (Photo Kristoffer Roveillo)

Thanks to a mini remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Seidel and the staff of the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) Aquarium might soon be able to provide that same service to tourists.

"It's a really critical tool that's being used in ocean sciences," said Seidel. "Using ROVs people have found many, many things that we didn't know existed."

The equipment was made available to the aquarium through a donation by the president of VideoRay, the ROV's manufacturer.

"He was intrigued by the idea that we had for having this be a public exhibit," said Seidel.

Plans call for an exhibit that will allow summer visitors to monitor the ROV's feedback on a screen set up underneath a kiosk or tent off the aquarium's pier. If all goes well, they may even get the controls.

"It's very, very intuitive," said Seidel. "Most people get it within 30 seconds."

Powered by three thrusters, two of which control lateral movement and a third that controls depth, the mini-ROV can sink to 300 meters, over 950 feet, below the surface and is equipped with lights and a rotatable camera.

The equipment should add another facet to the aquarium's exhibits, according to Linda Mercer, director of resource management at DMR.

"My perspective on this is it's an exciting way to show the public what's underwater," she said. It gives everybody a glimpse of what's happening down there. We have a lot of repeat visitors so it's neat to always have something new."