Using the anatomical design of the Atlantic razor clam, which is known for excellent digging abilities, the MIT robotic clam can drill into the ocean floor at a speed of one centimeter per second, according to an article published on LiveScience.

"There are locations in the ocean that are too deep to reach easily with remotely operated vehicles and conventional oil drilling technology," said MIT mechanical engineer Anette "Peko" Hosoi, in an interview with LiveScience.  "In these ultra-deep water applications, we envision oil production equipment that automatically secures itself when it hits the bottom. We could use RoboClam-derived anchors to automatically affix the equipment, and automatically retract when the equipment needs to be recovered."

Even though the U.S. military has methods to detonate underwater mines, the clam is able to dig in sand, soil, mud, and other types of ocean bottom -- ideally, a ship equipped with ground penetrating sonar will be able to locate and identify mines, and then the clam can dig down to the mine to remotely detonate it.

The robo clam may also be able to help install or repair underwater cables used for trans-Atlantic phone lines.

The U.S. Navy has developed several different technologies to help mine-hunting, but most methods have proven relatively ineffective.  Since humans are unable to clear mines at  extreme depths, researchers are more interested in creating autonomous robots that are able to detect and destroy mines -- even if the robot itself must be destroyed.