22 MTR March 2011
What do you count as the defining
accomplishment(s) of your career?
Bently, VideoRay The defining
accomplishment of my career was
building the executive ranks of
VideoRay. For example, we have the
smartest R&D guy in the ROV busi-
ness, the best software guy, and the
best marketing guy. Pretty good for a
company barely 10 years old with less
than $10m in revenue.
Heinz, iRobot I’m an “odd duck”
when you compare me to others in
the robotics business. I joined iRobot
after a 32 year career in the Marine
Corps, where I achieved the rank of
Major General and ran the Defense
Department’s largest acquisition pro-
gram in history. So, I would say that
is my defining accomplishment … so
far. Moving forward, I am incredibly
excited about my leadership position
at iRobot. I have a master’s degree is
in computer science and have always
had an affinity for artificial intelli-
gence and autonomous behavior.
The importance of monitoring and
understanding changes in ocean
properties will increase exponentially
in the next few years. The ocean is
key to understanding climate change
and impacts to ecological systems
that provide us with oxygen, water
Advances, Challenges & Oppotunities
Robotic Vehicle Technology
Marine Technology Reporter presents via this virtual “roundtable” insights on the rapidly evolving business of
subsea robotic vehicles. — by Greg Trauthwein, Editor
The Respondents
Bob Anderson
President & Co-Founder
OceanServer
Scott Bentley
President
VideoRay LLC
Bill Charbonneau
Product and Sales Manager
Deep Ocean Engineering
Dave Grant
Managing Director
Saab Seaeye
David Heinz
VP, Maritime Systems
iRobot Corporation
David P. Kelly
President & CEO
Bluefin Robotics
Justin E. Manley
Senior Director Scientific and
Commercial Business
Liquid Robotics, Inc.
Donald Rodocker
President
SeaBotix Inc.
OceanServer AUVs
Digital Wave Publishing