Robohub.org
podcast
 

The OpenROV project with Eric Stackpole and David Lang

OpenROV         

by
14 June 2013



share this:

In the episode, we speak with Eric Stackpole and David Lang from the OpenROV project about their challenge in developing Eric’s idea to find an easy way to explore a cave that was rumored to contain a sunken treasure near his home.

OpenROV (OPEN-source Remotely Operated Vehicle) is a telerobotic submarine built to make underwater exploration and education affordable. We will hear of their learning curve to turn a fun idea into a funded kick-starter project, on a shoestring budget and how they inspired the community to develop the project further. This has united the imagination of DYI beginners, amateurs, professional engineers and scientists from over 50 countries, with far more applications than were original conceded, from pollution monitoring to species identification in the Antarctica.

Eric Stackpole
Eric Stackpole is a Co-Founder of OpenROV and the original designer of the robot. He currently works part-time for NASA at the Ames Research Center and is finishing his masters thesis in mechatronics at Santa Clara University. Eric has always been an enthusiast of  exploration technology, from building a telerobot to attend classes in college to lugging ham radios up mountains during backpacking trips.

David Lang
David Lang is a Co-Founder of OpenROV. He also writes the Zero to Maker column for the MAKE blog, where he chronicles his crash-course into the maker world. Prior to underwater robots, David managed OCSC Sailing in Berkeley where he helped hundreds of students learn to sail and led sailing adventures around the world.

Links:



tags: , ,


Podcast team The ROBOTS Podcast brings you the latest news and views in robotics through its bi-weekly interviews with leaders in the field.
Podcast team The ROBOTS Podcast brings you the latest news and views in robotics through its bi-weekly interviews with leaders in the field.

            AUAI is supported by:



Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack



Related posts :

A flapping robot swims and flies like a diving bird

  15 Jul 2026
An aerial-aquatic vehicle developed at EPFL and MIT could lead to a new class of devices for ocean exploration.

Wristband enables wearers to control a robotic hand with their own movements

  13 Jul 2026
By moving their hands and fingers, users can direct a robot to play the piano, shoot a basketball, or manipulate objects in a virtual environment.

#RoboCup2026 social media round-up

  08 Jul 2026
Find out what the teams got up to at this year's RoboCup extravaganza in Incheon.

#RoboCup2026 – humanoid league knockout stages

  06 Jul 2026
Find out who won the small, middle and large divisions in Incheon.

#RoboCup2026 – humanoid league day 2

  03 Jul 2026
Find out the latest from day two of the competition.

Reflections from ICRA 2026

  02 Jul 2026
From dancing robots to moral machines: our Assistant Editor reflects on ICRA 2026.

#RoboCup2026 – humanoid league day 1

  02 Jul 2026
In the first of our round-ups from the humanoid league we introduce the competition, and report some preliminary results.

What’s coming up at #RoboCup2026?

  29 Jun 2026
Find out what's in store at this year's international competition.



AUAI is supported by:







Subscribe to Robohub newsletter on substack




 















©2026.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence