Students Win with Submersible, Remotely Operated Vehicle

Reflecting the trend around remote control operations in industry, the winning team in this year Nanoline contest took home the prize for its design and construction of the “Delian One Remotely Operated Vehicle”. This unmanned vehicle uses Phoenix Contact’s Nanoline Controller and nanoNavigator software to remotely maneuver and explore an underwater environment. The Nanoline controls the Delian One’s thrusters, so that it can submerge and maneuver underwater. The controller is also used to turn the vehicle’s lights and camera on or off.

The team’s reward for its winning entry is the opportunity to travel to Hanover, Germany, this April, where they will demonstrate the Delian One in the TectoYou Hall at Hanover Fair, the world’s largest industrial tradeshow. TectoYou is a special hall at Hanover Fair dedicated to inspiring young people to consider careers in engineering.  Delian One Team members are Thomas Munday, Alex Messmer, Ashley Mullikin, Benjamin Fisher, Aaron Nasser and Claudia Yllanes. The school advisor is John Ebright, and Don Dickinson served as the team’s Phoenix Contact mentor.

The Nanoline contest is part of Phoenix Contact’s National Engineers Week celebration.

See a video below of the Delian One in action at the North Carolina Aquarium.

Ten teams competed in the fifth annual Nanoline contest. The second place award ($500) went to Walker Career Center in Indianapolis, Ind., for its “Automated Hotdog Cooker”.  The Neptune team from Lower Dauphin High School, Hummelstown, Pa., took third prize ($250) for its “Automated Fish Tank”. J.P. McCaskey High School, Lancaster, Pa., came in fourth place ($125) with its “Basketball Return.”