The Sentinel System - DEEP

DEEP’s Sentinel subsea habitat system radically expands human access to the ocean. Sentinel fills a technology gap unserved by diving or submersible methods, allowing people to live and work underwater for longer periods and unlock new discoveries.

3D manufacturing

Complex geometries, made simple

DEEP uses Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) to create the structures we need efficiently. WAAM allows us, for instance, to put more material specifically in areas that will experience the most force when underwater. Using this technique requires less material to meet performance demands, resulting in quicker production and reduced waste.

Modular sections

Endless adaptability

Sentinel is customisable and flexible, using modular components that can be configured in an infinite variety of ways. As a result, it can accommodate both short-term and semi-permanent deployments anywhere on the continental shelf.

Panoramic viewports

Take in the sights

There’s no point sending people to the bottom of the ocean and not letting them see the majesty of what’s around them. Not only does this make Sentinel an amazing place to live, it encourages ‘incidental science’ – those serendipitous discoveries that occur only as a result of sustained observation, and spotting what no one else has seen before.

Sentinel features

Render of the exterios structure of Sentinel

Adaptive design

Modular design gives flexibility

The Sentinel System uses standardised components created with 3D manufacturing techniques. Components can be employed utilised for different purposes and put together in an endless variety of configurations. This modularity makes Sentinel much more efficient to manufacture, build, and maintain than a bespoke habitat would be, and much less wasteful of materials.

Render of the inside of the Sentinel's sleeping room in the water

Thriving subsea

Comfortable living environment

We’ve designed Sentinel to be a lovely place to live and work, one that helps people perform at their best. This means a great night’s sleep, delicious and nutritious food, and a warm and pleasant living environment that doesn’t feel cramped. A comfortable habitat is a productive habitat.

Black and gray map with neon green location points

Sustainable efficiency

Reuseable and redeployable

Sentinels come with a service life of 20 years. During that time they can be deployed, picked up, and re-deployed to different locations around the world. This allows Sentinel owners and operators to work on multiple projects, including many smaller ones for which traditional habitats would not have been viable.

Render/Drawing of over water support vessel

Uniquely autonomous

No need for costly support vessels

Until now, subsea habitats have relied on Dive Support Vessels stationed on the surface. Not only are these expensive financially, they can impose a high environmental cost and make operations vulnerable to the weather. Sentinel’s power systems are based on a micro-grid architecture and are designed to work with DEEP’s renewable power and satellite communications buoy. DEEP’s Research team is developing a large-scale bio-reactor to treat all waste, removing the need for emptying tanks.

Render of Sentinel System with 6 connected pods

Infinitely customisable

Tailored to your project

The Sentinel System is as suited to short-term, six-crew deployments as it is to 50-crew, multi-nation, semi-permanent research stations. And thanks to the modular design, operators can reconfigure, repurpose, and relocate components between – and even during – missions, all without the need to take them up to the surface.

Image of diver in the water weraing diving suit taken from behind a coral

Pressure adapted

A choice of habitat pressure

Sentinel is designed for operation at ambient pressure (matching the surrounding water) or one atmosphere (the average pressure at sea level). Ambient operation allows for the use of Sentinel’s two moon pools for diving excursions, making it perfect for long-term missions by qualified divers. One-atmosphere operation enables short visits to Sentinel via submarine transfer, ideal for academics or media professionals without diving qualifications.

Sentinel™

DEEP’s Sentinel subsea habitat system radically expands human access to the ocean. Sentinel fills a technology gap unserved by diving or submersible methods, allowing people to live and work underwater for longer periods and unlock new discoveries.