The lazy days of summer have yet to arrive for University of Arizona mechanical engineering senior Eduardo Moreno. He will spend this summer much like he did last summer – designing and constructing a low-cost underwater robot he calls the A-CURV. 

A-CURV stands for Autonomous Cooperative Underwater Robotic Vehicle, and it is being designed for the exploration of shallow waters (45-100 feet) and closed spaces.

Moreno envisions its use as a national defense system protecting U.S maritime borders or for use in exploration, and he's pursuing federal grants with the help of his mentor, Ricardo Sanfelice, assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering.

Moreno, who is from Yuma, Ariz., has thus far funded the project with scholarship money while seeking additional financial support from corporate sponsors. The enterprising Moreno outsourced the manufacturing of many of the parts he designed from a company in Mexico near his hometown. Then, he acquired electronics from Pololu robotics and electronics in Las Vegas and obtained a tether for video and data transmission from the company Teledyne.

"I also scavenged for parts on EBay," Moreno said.