cs.ROSep 18, 2026

MarineCraft: Enabling Rapid Prototyping of Underwater Robots via Modular Construction

Authors: Yuta Sugiura

Organizations: Department of Information and Computer Science, Keio University, Yokohama, Japan

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Abstract

Underwater robot development is often hindered by the complexities of waterproofing and wiring, which significantly delay the rapid prototyping process. This paper presents MarineCraft, a modular toolkit designed to accelerate the development cycle through structural reconfiguration. The system features self-contained, waterproof propulsion modules that integrate power, wireless communication, and actuation. By eliminating centralized wiring and the need for repeated sealing, MarineCraft allows diverse robot geometries to be assembled and tested in minutes rather than days. Experimental results demonstrate that this reconfigurable architecture enables fast, iterative design cycles while maintaining reliable operation and leak-free performance at depths of up to 2.5 meters. Our toolkit effectively lowers the barrier to underwater robotics by transforming modularity into a vehicle for rapid physical prototyping.

Figures & tables

Figure 1: Overview of MarineCraft. The system employs self-contained modules to enable rapid physical prototyping of underwater robots through mechanical reconfiguration, eliminating the need for manual wiring and repeated waterproof sealing.
Figure 2: Self-contained propulsion module. The waterproof housing integrates battery, wireless receiver, and motor driver, while the brushless motor is mounted externally.
Figure 3: Wireless control architecture of MarineCraft. Each module contains an independent 40 MHz receiver and is directly controlled by a radio transmitter without centralized wiring.
Figure 4: Three distinct CAD-designed underwater robot configurations assembled from MarineCraft modules. The configurations illustrate the structural diversity enabled by modular mechanical reconfiguration without electrical rewiring.
Figure 5: Representative underwater robot configurations constructed using MarineCraft modules. Diverse geometries were realized through mechanical assembly without electrical rewiring.
Figure 6: Underwater operation test conducted in a swimming pool environment. The robot maintained waterproof integrity and achieved controlled propulsion at depths of up to approximately 2.5 meters.
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