“Assistant or Replacement?” A Socio-Technical Exploration of Robots in Underwater Archaeology

There has been growing interest in using robots for underwater archaeology, as they push the boundaries of traditional technologies used to explore and preserve submerged cultural sites, such as shipwrecks, sunken cities, artifacts, and ancient ports. However, as a multidisciplinary field that integrates elements from the humanities, natural sciences, and technological fields, common challenges such as differing methodologies and communication barriers often arise. To bridge these gaps, this study adopts a socio-technical perspective to better understand the specific needs for human-robot collaboration in underwater archeology. Due to its explorative nature, this study adopts a qualitative approach, and key-informant interviews with technical experts in robotics and stakeholders related to underwater archeology were conducted. Findings from the thematic analysis provide insights into three key areas: 1) different views on the role of robots in underwater archaeology, with some seeing them as potential replacements for underwater archaeologists, while others view them only as assistants, stressing the unique skills and judgment humans bring in complex and unpredictable underwater settings; 2) the unique requirements at specific stages of underwater archaeology; and 3) key challenges that inform the design of robotic systems.