Corey Jaskolski: Creating New Tools for Exploration

Corey Jaskolski is an engineer, specializing in creating technologies for some of the most challenging environments on Earth. He is currently developing new imaging solutions to help National Geographic explorers and others capture imagery that lets us all see the world in new ways. He also runs Hydro Technologies, a company that engineers wireless sensors that can be used to help prevent subsea oil and gas leaks.

Jaskolski grew up fascinated by technology and imaging. After earning bachelor's degrees in both physics and mathematics, he joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as the DuPont Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Fellow, as well as the Shell Ocean Engineering Fellow. While at MIT, he headed up the Bluefin Robotics team, developing the world's first pressure-tolerant lithium-polymer battery pack, used by autonomous underwater vehicles for ocean exploration. The battery pack was designed to withstand the crushing pressure of deep-ocean deployments without needing to be protected inside a pressure vessel. The technology was also used to power tiny remote-operated underwater vehicles that explored the inside of the Titanic. Jaskolski had the opportunity to descend to the wreck of the Titanic (12,500 feet deep) in a three-man Russian submersible to support these robotic operations.

Following these adventures, Jaskolski founded Hydro Technologies in 2002. He took a brief hiatus from the company to serve as the Director of Technology for Remote Imaging at National Geographic. Now, he splits his time between Hydro Technologies and specialized engineering projects.

One of Jaskolski's latest pursuits includes the development of an ultrahigh-resolution robotic camera system. It was recently used to take the world's highest resolution underwater image in Hoyo Negro, a cenote in Mexico.

Jaskolski is also creating a high-performance color night vision system; building a robotic telescope system in his backyard for deep sky and solar imaging; and developing a multi-modal imaging platform that allows for simultaneous imaging in the visual, ultraviolet, infrared, and long-wave infrared (thermal) spectrums.