China’s self-developed underwater robot Tansuo is maneuvered into position for its first test dive in the South China Sea yesterday. The robot, 3.5 meters long by 1.5 meters wide, can dive to a depth of 4,500 meters. It will conduct 20 hours of experimental operations along with unmanned submersible Faxian. Both were on board Chinese research vessel Kexue which left the port of Xiamen in southeast China’s Fujian Province on Sunday to continue scientific expeditions in the area. The submersible will use a spectrometer to measure physical and chemical parameters and capture images of organisms living near the seabed. — Xinhua