For the first time, we're offering a Patron NFT for an Experiment.

We’re raising money to build a large high-pressure chamber to test materials at the equivalent of full-ocean depth pressure. From the project page:

What is the context of this research?

The pressure in the deep ocean is astounding and few conventional designs can withstand the force. Understanding the effects of tremendous pressure on various off-the-shelf engineering components and materials is critical for designing novel systems that can operate at that great depth without the need for protection from pressure-proof chambers. To conduct these tests, a small pressure chamber (50mm internal diameter) capable of reaching pressures over 1100 bar (16000 PSI) was designed and constructed. Preliminary results suggest that more things can survive at these pressures than one might expect. The design of a larger chamber will allow us to test more components with more complexity.

What is the significance of this project?

The deep ocean is the largest and most unexplored habitat on our planet. It plays a critical role in regulating climate, is a large potential source for marine resources, and is a vast home to unique biodiverse creatures. The ecosystem is currently vulnerable to unexpected changes due to climate change and the potential for deep sea mining is growing. Understanding and monitoring these ecosystems is more important than ever.

There is a scientific urgency to exploring the deep ocean, yet it remains a challenge. Expanding the knowledge base of materials and engineering components capable of performing at such depth would accelerate the potential of robotic systems to explore the deep ocean.