Diver not only successfully submerges to unclog the intake, but it also detects a chemical smell from the clog. The robot notices that some of the clog has dropped to the bottom of the tank, worrying Jenn that it might have damaged the tank. She directs Diver to collect a sample, and inspect the bottom of the tank.
Using additional sensors, Diver determines that the tank has corroded, and needs urgent repair. Jenn relays the information to the thrilled plant manager, who wants Diver to inspect all the tanks in the system.
Diver returns to the robot warehouse exhausted, telling Jenn, “I am tired — more than I thought…that ultrasonic probe used up my energy…” Jenn promises to plug him in, and charge him right up.
After a hard day of work, Diver returns to the warehouse to join his robot colleagues with a tale of success to entertain the other robots, including Rover Boy, Samson and Stack (stars in other issues of this robot e-comic series).
Harry T. Roman, the author of Diver Does Its Thing and the entire robot digital comic series, concentrates on stories based on real-world use of robots today. This e-comic is the sixth one in the series. During his long career at PSE&G, Roman was an innovator — using robots to solve engineering problems in the utility industry, including co-inventing a robot used to inspect large fuel oil storage tanks — and another robot used in nuclear power plants.
In the preface to the book, Roman explains that the series is “designed to entertain readers, young and old, (and) to demonstrate how we can use robots in the service of humanity, performing real-life tasks.” He adds that “these anthropomorphic machine portrayals are meant to show how engineers (and their created technologies) can provide service and value to humanity. These stories are also meant to show how advanced computer applications embodying artificial intelligence and neural networks are not to be feared — but understood — and contain vast potential for doing good in our world.”
Diver Does Its Thing, along with Roman’s other five e-comics in the series, are free to download for IEEE members at the IEEE-USA Shop, and available for non-members for a nominal cost. Why not download one today, and read it with that budding engineer in your life?
Other books in the series are:
- Rover Boy Gets Steamed Up
- Pipeline Gets Rescued
- Rover Boy and Samson Team Up
- Stacks Gets Up in The World
- Momma and Baby (M&B) are on the Job
Harry T. Roman was honored as Inventor of the Year in 2005, by the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame for his application of robots in hazardous environments in utility work. He holds 12 U.S. patents, and he has received numerous engineering, invention and teaching awards. IEEE has honored Roman with a Meritorious Achievement Award for developing continuing education products for IEEE members. He is a docent/special lecturer at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park, in West Orange, New Jersey.
