TAP YOUR INNER JACQUES COUSTEAU

Think you need to be a blockbuster film director like James Cameron to explore the mysteries of the deep? Well, think again. While Cameron's pockets are likely as deep as the Mariana Trench he explored in his one-man submarine earlier this year, have no fear you thrifty seafaring explorers, a cheaper vessel for underwater exploration may be sailing your way.

It's call OpenROV, an open source robotic submarine designed to bring the inner Jacques Cousteau out of even the greenest landlubber ashore. Like many great explorers before him, Eric Stackpole, brainchild of the ROV, wanted to scout for sunken treasure. A cave near his home was rumored to have some, but Stackpole needed an easier way to explore the cave.

Soon, a small community of amateur and professional engineers, scientists and designers from over 50 countries began collaborating on the ROV's design and came up with the following:

An 11.8-by-7.8-inch camera-equipped craft that's 5.9 inches tall and can reach depths of almost 330 feet. A waterproof tube within the ROV houses electronics and other equipment that must be kept dry. Three 800 kv motors power the ROV. Two are horizontal thrusters and one is a vertical thruster, allowing the ROV to move in all directions. Eight on-board C batteries allow allow the mini sub to fly through the water for up to an hour and a half.

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