VolcanoBot was developed to map volcanic vents and their underlying conduit systems. It uses a structured light sensor for mapping and carries an IR temperature sensor, analog distance sensor, and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) inside a housing. Data collected by VolcanoBot has yielded the first insights into the detailed geometry of volcanic fissures at depths of up to 25 meters.

Active volcanoes release heat and potentially dangerous gases through hot fumaroles, active vents, and ground surfaces. VolcanoBot seeks to gather data from underground features of volcanoes that are otherwise inaccessible to humans.

It was first deployed at Kilauea volcano in Hawai’i, and collected first-of-its-kind data from inside the fissure system (an aligned sequence of vents). Fissures, which are often modeled as vertical and linear, actually have many irregularities that are large enough to affect the fluid dynamics of an eruption. VolcanoBot is mapping these irregularities and providing realistic fissure geometry that will greatly enhance our understanding of the dynamic behavior of these eruptions.