Autonomous Bots & Europa
This dude Bill Stone got a contract from NASA for his autonomous deep water robot. Test the sucka out here on Earth while doing some useful scientific exploration. Were I the Navy, I'd have an observer or three assigned. CMU is doing some really good work in this area. Interestingly, Stone is a big NASA basher, openly critical of their spendthrift approach, lack of results oriented management and their small male appendages when it comes to risk. Good for him.
-p (not a spendthrift, at least)