Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

US nonprofit oceanographic research institution founded 1930; operates REMUS, Sentry, and Mesobot AUVs plus ROV Jason for deep-sea science.

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Company Overview

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is a private nonprofit research and higher education organization founded in 1930 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent oceanographic research institution in the United States, with approximately 950 staff including more than 500 scientists, engineers, ship crew, and technicians.

WHOI is a pioneer in marine robotics, operating a fleet of robotic and human-occupied underwater vehicles. The Sentry AUV is designed to descend to depths of 6,000 meters and carries instruments for sampling, imaging, and environmental data collection from the deep sea. The REMUS (Remote Environmental Monitoring Units) family of AUVs was developed at WHOI and has been commercialized through Hydroid (later acquired by Kongsberg). Mesobot is a hybrid underwater vehicle designed to study the ocean's midwater (mesopelagic) zone. Jason and Medea form a two-body ROV system capable of reaching 6,500 meters, while the human-occupied vehicle (HOV) Alvin is one of the world's most well-known deep-sea submersibles, recently upgraded to reach 6,500 meters.

WHOI established the Center for Marine Robotics to accelerate development of robotic ocean technologies through collaboration with industry sponsors, academic partners, and government agencies including NOAA, NSF, and the US Navy. The Autonomous Robotics and Perception Laboratory (WARP Lab) at WHOI focuses on perception, planning, and autonomy for underwater vehicles.

WHOI researchers and engineers have founded several spinout companies in marine robotics, including Bluefin Robotics (1997) and SeaBED Technologies (2010). The institution's ocean robotics work spans scientific research, military applications, and environmental monitoring, making it one of the most influential organizations in the development of autonomous marine systems.

Capabilities & Activities

Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:

Applications & Industries

Product Categories

Products & Solutions

Sentry AUV

Deep-sea autonomous underwater vehicle capable of 6,000m depth for ocean floor mapping and sampling.

Jason/Medea ROV

Two-body ROV system for deep-sea exploration and sampling to 6,500m depth.

Partnership & Notable clients

Associating Events

Contact Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

WEBSITE

https://www.whoi.edu

EMAIL

[email protected]

PHONE

+1 508-289-2252

HEADQUARTERS

266 Woods Hole Rd
Woods Hole , Massachusetts  02543

United States

Company Facts

Founded

1930

Primary Role

Research Institute

Company Size

employees 500-1000

Primary Region

North America

Annual Sales

-

Funding Stage

-

Funding Total

-

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