4-H teams put submersible robots to the test
Arkansas 4-H teams from across the state gathered at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for the 2025 SeaPerch Challenge, remotely navigating submersible robots through obstacle and mission courses.
Two-hundred and twenty-six Arkansas 4-H members from 16 counties participated in the March 14 event. The annual competition is hosted by Arkansas 4-H, part of the Cooperative Extension Service, and the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas.
Fifty-four teams worked to build remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs, using pieces of pool noodles, electrical tape, 3-D printed parts, PVC pipe and other supplies. They then steered the ROVs through an underwater mission course and obstacle course, both designed to mimic undersea exploration or deep-sea missions. Teams were also judged on their technical design reports, where they documented the construction and engineering design process for the robots.
