Play a round
Commonwealth Surf explores voluntary participation. Free play, saved verified scores, and no cash prizes. Playing does not require donating compute.
Try the gameResearch you can question.
A pilot you can try.
Scuba Research Collective investigates how AI, advanced robotics, advanced sensing, and community participation can help people make better decisions and solve practical problems.
Explore the questions. Try a small working demonstration. See what is measured, what remains uncertain, and where your expertise could help.
A small contribution. A result you can inspect.
Can ordinary browsers contribute useful work to research infrastructure? Start with something smaller: a fixed synthetic calculation, a server-checked result, and a saved receipt. The current pilot tests that process; it does not yet perform scientific research calculations.
Follow the receipt
Choose to run one bounded browser task. An accepted result receives a receipt and contributes to saved totals.
See compute activityHelp define the next test
Which public-data task would be scientifically useful, easy to divide, and independently verifiable? We welcome domain researchers and educators.
Discuss a research questionIndependent ScubaRC initiative. Not a program of or endorsed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Research portfolio
Four public-interest research lanes
Responsible AI, Robotics & Human-Machine Systems
Physical AI, sensor fusion, human–robot teaming, and accountable automation. ATHENA and ARES connect our work on perception, field computing, and operator support to advanced robotic applications.
Explore robotics researchCognitive Security & Information Integrity
Defensive frameworks for recognizing manipulation, synthetic personas, credibility laundering, and influence operations.
Quantum & Advanced Sensing
Emerging approaches to inspection, magnetometry, signal extraction, anomaly detection, and forensic traceability.
OSINT, Early Warning & Public Safety
Responsible methods for identifying weak signals, hidden risks, and emerging threats without exposing sensitive sources or operational methods.
How we work
Evidence before claims.
ScubaRC separates research concepts, prototypes, public frameworks, and validated systems. Each project is labeled by its actual development status.
Human benefit before novelty.Technology should improve real lives.
Access beyond wealth.Public value should not depend on purchasing power.
Security without exploitation.Defensive capability should not become coercive capability.
Transparency with responsible limits.We publish enough to support scrutiny while protecting sensitive IP and methods.
Founder
Tim Herbin
Retired U.S. Navy Chief · AI engineer and researcher · Virginia Beach
Tim brings 22 years of Navy service, including maritime rescue, cryptologic operations, and information warfare, alongside civilian cybersecurity and AI work. ScubaRC carries that practical focus into research: identify a consequential problem, test a bounded approach, and make the evidence clear.
Meet the founder and read the missionOne mission, two distinct entities.
Scuba Research Collective LLC supports operational, commercial, contracting, and product activity. Scuba Research Collective Foundation is being formed separately for charitable, educational, scientific, and public-benefit work.
Read the current Foundation status →