This summer, we had the pleasure of welcoming two engaged and talented summer interns to the Water Linked team. Ole Agaton Helmers and Ole Magnus Lærum are both master’s students in Cybernetics and Robotics at NTNU.
Throughout the internship, they took on challenging, high-impact tasks, gained hands-on experience, and brought fresh perspectives into our R&D environment. While the program is designed to give students real-world exposure, it’s also an opportunity for us to learn from the next generation of engineers and connect with future talent.
Diving Deep: How Our Summer Interns Pushed Sonar Tech Forward
Their mission? To put our Sonar 3D-15 through its paces across various ROV platforms, and show what this powerful tool is really capable of. The result was a hands-on, two-part project that combined field testing, technical documentation, and a solid touch of creative and technical problem solving.
Part 1: From Testing to Real-World Guidance
The internship began with a practical challenge: create clear, user-friendly documentation for installing and operating the Sonar 3D-15 on different ROVs. These guides are now featured in the official Sonar 3D-15 User Manual, making it easier than ever for customers to get started with the Sonar 3D-15.
They also captured live footage of the Sonar 3D-15 in action, from submerged pipelines to dock pilings and sunken vehicles, producing images that will be used in technical docs and product marketing.
Part 2: Experimenting with SLAM
The second phase of the internship focused on SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). The interns explored how the Sonar 3D-15 could be combined with tools like the DVL A50, to generate point clouds that extend beyond the Sonar 3D-15’s standard field of view. This offered valuable insights into future applications in underwater mapping and navigation.
Inside the Experience: Life as a Summer Intern at Water Linked
Beyond the technical accomplishments, we asked the interns to reflect on their experience. What drew them to Water Linked, what they learned, and how they felt being part of our team.
Why Water Linked?
Both interns were looking for a place where they could make a real impact. Ole Agaton encountered Water Linked through a student organization and was excited to work on underwater robotics. A perfect fit for his academic path.
“There’s so much potential in underwater technology. It’s fun to work with, and you’re solving real problems. Things robots can do that humans can’t.”
Ole Magnus wanted a smaller, dynamic company where new ideas could thrive.
“I was looking for a place where things move fast and you can contribute early. Water Linked had that bold, disruptive energy. It felt like the right place to be.”
Gaining Skills That Stick
During the internship, both interns highlighted gaining technical experience with tools like ROS and Python-based SLAM frameworks, as well as learning practical development methods and project planning. They also emphasized the importance of understanding client needs and developing solutions with purpose. In addition to technical skills, they valued the growth of soft skills such as independence and planning.
“It wasn’t just about coding. We learned to think like developers solving real client problems,” Ole Agaton explained.
“I really appreciated the freedom to try out our own ideas and plan things independently,” added Ole Magnus.
A Culture of Trust and Openness
One of the biggest surprises for both interns was the level of trust and independence they were given from day one. They also praised the open, collaborative environment.
“We were new, but we were trusted. That made all the difference. We could explore, try, fail, and succeed.”
“You’re not treated like an outsider or a ‘summer temp’. We talked to every department and people genuinely cared about what we were doing. It felt like what we did mattered, and we could always ask for help when needed.”
Most Memorable Moment
Both interns agreed their favourite milestone was the moment they saw their first successful SLAM-generated image.
“When we got our first SLAM-generated image, it was way earlier than we expected. We thought we’d maybe get a usable result at the end of the summer, and maybe not at all. But just after starting with SLAM in the first week, we had something that actually looked good. It was a really satisfying moment.”
Biggest Lessons Learned
A key lesson both interns highlighted was the importance of coordination and teamwork. Since they were working closely together on the same project, effective communication and collaboration were essential.
“This experience of coordinating with a teammate was not only necessary but also personally enriching.”
Alongside the technical challenges, they both valued the opportunity to develop soft skills like planning and working independently. Especially at the start, the freedom they were given pushed them to organize their work thoughtfully, which they found both enjoyable and rewarding.
How They’d Describe the Internship
When asked to sum up the internship in three words, the students offered a mix of technical insight and team experience that reflected their summer at Water Linked.:
- Technical, Independence, Coordinated - Ole Agaton
“I chose technical because the work we did was complex and required a lot of problem-solving and research. Independence reflects how much freedom we had to make decisions and shape the project ourselves. And coordinated sums up how important teamwork was. We really had to align and communicate throughout.”
- Hands-on, Integrated, Flow - Ole Magnus
“Hands-on reflects how deeply we were involved in the product, not just watching from the side-lines. We actually worked across departments and learned how customers use the tech. Integrated is because we felt like part of the team, not just summer interns. And flow describes how smoothly everything worked. It all just clicked.”
Would They Recommend Doing an Internship at Water Linked?
The interns described their time at Water Linked as both meaningful and influential, giving them hands-on exposure to underwater sensor systems and confirming their interest in the field. Ole Agaton explained that:
“I felt like we were actually able to contribute and not just be left out or side-lined. So, if you have the ambition to do meaningful work, I think this internship is perfect.”
Ole Magnus agreed, adding that the freedom to shape their own projects made the experience especially rewarding:
“Here, we were given a lot of freedom to shape and develop the projects in the direction we wanted. If that kind of freedom is something you find motivating, then I would absolutely recommend it.”