The article profiles Levi Unema, an electrical engineer who swapped automotive manufacturing for deep-sea exploration, and now designs, maintains, and pilots underwater robots that explore Earth’s unexplored ocean depths, tells this IEEE Spectrum article.
Unema’s journey began in 2015, when a high-school science teacher invited him to join a project building remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for ocean exploration. Despite working on automotive assembly lines at the time, Unema accepted the challenge, driven by a passion for electronics and nature.
Today, he works with Deep Exploration Solutions, a consultancy formed by former members of an earlier team that built ROVs for NOAA and scientific expeditions. He handles everything from down-hole electronics design to piloting missions from the bridge of a ship.
Underwater robotics pushes engineering to its limits. Every component must survive crushing pressures, fit into tight housings, remain waterproof, and minimize mass to preserve buoyancy. Communications rely on kilometers of cable with minimal optical fibers, forcing careful design of both hardware and data flow.
On missions aboard vessels like Okeanos Explorer, Unema pilots ROVs such as Deep Discoverer and Seirios. Scientists interpret live video feeds from the deep to identify unknown marine life, geological formations, or wrecks. Unema steers the robot, controls hydraulic arms for sample collection, and ensures reliable operation under harsh ocean conditions.
This work blends electronics, mechanical design, marine engineering, and human–machine coordination. For those drawn to hands-on engineering and exploration, Unema’s story shows that building robots isn’t just about technology; it’s about curiosity, discovery, and preserving unknown ecosystems. For students or early-career engineers interested in robotics, underwater systems, or ocean exploration, this path remains surprisingly accessible.