I am not sure if you all know this about me, but I am a total geek. I play tabletop roleplaying games, I studied IT, I can take apart and put back together a computer, and yes, when I hear researchers are going to use an exosuit to search the wreck of the 2000 year old shipwreck which yielded the Antikythera mechanism, I get very, very, excited.
The Antikythera wreck is a shipwreck from the 2nd quarter of the 1st century BC. It was discovered by sponge divers off Point Glyphadia on the Hellenic island of Antikythera in 1900. The wreck manifested numerous statues, coins and other artefacts dating back to the 4th century BC, as well as the severely corroded remnants of a device that is called the world's oldest known analog computer, the Antikythera mechanism.
The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient analog computer designed to predict astronomical positions and eclipses. The computer's construction has been attributed to the Hellenes and was dated to the early 1st century BC. Technological artefacts approaching its complexity and workmanship did not appear again until the 14th century, when mechanical astronomical clocks began to be built in Western Europe.
The mechanism was housed in a wooden box and is made up of bronze gears (that we know of). The mechanism's remains were found as eighty-two separate fragments of which only seven contain any gears or significant inscriptions. Today, the fragments of the Antikythera mechanism are kept at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
It was reported that--using the latest advances in technology and robotics--researchers will now strive to extract more secrets from the ancient shipwreck, and their main tool will be a robotic 'exoskeleton' dubbed "Exosuit". The Archaeology News Network reports that:
"...the cutting-edge diving suit, essentially still in an experimental stage, will be worn by U.S. divers who will be able to remain deep underwater for extended periods of time, enabling them to conduct excavations and handle the fragile ancient objects with due care. The 1.5-million-dollar Exosuit was made by the Canadian robotics firm Nuytco Research and comes equipped with a number of features that will allow divers to work at the 120-metre depths for an essentially unlimited period of time, without being at risk from decompression sickness."
Scientists are optimistic that the site will yield a second device like the Antikythera Mechanism, as a preliminary survey conducted last year showed a wealth of artefacts scattered over the crash site, as well as a second unknown shipwreck next to the one already found.
The first real test of the suit will take place in July, during underwater surveys off the northeast coast of the United States and the Antikythera mission will take place immediately afterward. It will also be worn by U.S. divers during the Antikythera mission.
The Antikythera wreck is a shipwreck from the 2nd quarter of the 1st century BC. It was discovered by sponge divers off Point Glyphadia on the Hellenic island of Antikythera in 1900. The wreck manifested numerous statues, coins and other artefacts dating back to the 4th century BC, as well as the severely corroded remnants of a device that is called the world's oldest known analog computer, the Antikythera mechanism.
The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient analog computer designed to predict astronomical positions and eclipses. The computer's construction has been attributed to the Hellenes and was dated to the early 1st century BC. Technological artefacts approaching its complexity and workmanship did not appear again until the 14th century, when mechanical astronomical clocks began to be built in Western Europe.
The mechanism was housed in a wooden box and is made up of bronze gears (that we know of). The mechanism's remains were found as eighty-two separate fragments of which only seven contain any gears or significant inscriptions. Today, the fragments of the Antikythera mechanism are kept at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
It was reported that--using the latest advances in technology and robotics--researchers will now strive to extract more secrets from the ancient shipwreck, and their main tool will be a robotic 'exoskeleton' dubbed "Exosuit". The Archaeology News Network reports that:
"...the cutting-edge diving suit, essentially still in an experimental stage, will be worn by U.S. divers who will be able to remain deep underwater for extended periods of time, enabling them to conduct excavations and handle the fragile ancient objects with due care. The 1.5-million-dollar Exosuit was made by the Canadian robotics firm Nuytco Research and comes equipped with a number of features that will allow divers to work at the 120-metre depths for an essentially unlimited period of time, without being at risk from decompression sickness."
Scientists are optimistic that the site will yield a second device like the Antikythera Mechanism, as a preliminary survey conducted last year showed a wealth of artefacts scattered over the crash site, as well as a second unknown shipwreck next to the one already found.
The first real test of the suit will take place in July, during underwater surveys off the northeast coast of the United States and the Antikythera mission will take place immediately afterward. It will also be worn by U.S. divers during the Antikythera mission.
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