{"id":15503,"date":"2017-03-28T23:38:41","date_gmt":"2017-03-28T23:38:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/?page_id=15503"},"modified":"2019-09-20T11:06:49","modified_gmt":"2019-09-20T02:06:49","slug":"underwater-technology","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/research\/imagery-technology\/underwater-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Underwater Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”center” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css=”.vc_custom_1491340559305{padding-top: 50px !important;background-color: #e2d62d !important;}”][vc_column][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”Technology Menu” el_class=”extra”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” background_color=”#ffffff” css=”.vc_custom_1494909861264{padding-top: 75px !important;padding-bottom: 75px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]CRRF uses a variety of new underwater technology tools to assist with our work.\u00a0 Mixed gas breathers allow for deep depths and longer bottom times, not to mention the lack of bubbles that typically scare fish.\u00a0 Photography and video are important, both for documenting species and environments.\u00a0 We also assist with a wide variety of autonomous underwater vehicles used to gather data autonomously.\u00a0 And of course submersibles are everyone’s dream. \u00a0We have been extremely lucky to have used several in the deep and unknown waters of Palau. \u00a0All of these tools provide unique bits of information to further our understanding of the oceans around Palau.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][qode_elements_holder number_of_columns=”two_columns” switch_to_one_column=”1000″][qode_elements_holder_item item_padding=”20px 9% 30px 9%” advanced_animations=”no”][vc_single_image image=”15753″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1491176500169{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”1″ up=”15″ down=”0″][vc_column_text]Closed-circuit rebreathers have been an important tool in our work. Pat Colin was inspired to build his own after the success of the Electrolung designed by Walter Starck II in the late 1960s. Pat used his first full electronic rebreather in 1979, and later developed a follow on unit, called the Science Lung II, which was used for many deep collection dives in Palau to as much as 150 m depth. \u00a0Steve Lindfield has been a part of the first generation of scientific divers to use the reliable commercially available mixed gas rebreathers in coral reef research, having done cutting edge studies<\/a>\u00a0of the benefits of using such silent-no bubble diving gear in coral reef fish research.\u00a0 As they are now a proven technology in deep diving research (~150 m depth), studies of diver disturbance of marine life are an important issue.[\/vc_column_text][\/qode_elements_holder_item][qode_elements_holder_item item_padding=”0px 0px 0px 0px” advanced_animations=”no”][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”16763,16764,16765″ img_size=”full”][\/qode_elements_holder_item][\/qode_elements_holder][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” background_color=”#ffffff” css=”.vc_custom_1494803756797{padding-top: 100px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner][vc_single_image image=”15753″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1491176500169{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1494891164924{padding-bottom: 100px !important;}”]<\/p>\n Light cameras and other imaging system are important tools in CRRFs research.\u00a0 Standard SLR cameras for still or video images, usually with electronic strobes, are used for wide angle (eg. habitat shots) to macro (eg. species portraits) work. In 2003 CRRF switched from film to digital cameras, with a massive increase in the ability to record data. Pat made a series of PVC underwater camera and strobe housings –\u00a0 great for use in remote areas that could be repaired with PVC glue!\u00a0 This basic housing was designed for use to 120 m depths, and if need be, made a pretty good hammer for knocking some recalcitrant stony sponge loose for collection.\u00a0 For the NCI collection program, we photographed every species sampled, ideally in situ<\/em> underwater, to provide a visual record of what the sample looked like and aid in species identification, resulting in over 100,000 film and digital photos from the program.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” el_id=”img-gallery” el_class=”h-gallery”][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”16766,16767,16818,16769,16770″ img_size=”full” column_number=”5″ grayscale=”no” images_space=”gallery_without_space”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” background_color=”#39a694″ css=”.vc_custom_1494890273920{padding-top: 100px !important;padding-bottom: 100px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner][vc_single_image image=”15753″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1495764258710{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”yellow-link-teal-bg”]When using the Deepworker 2000 submersibles for NCI collections in 2000 & 2008 we were faced with a general lack of affordable, reliable external cameras with strobe that could survive to depths of ~600 m. Pat ended up making his own housings for digital SLR cameras. The housing were machined from aluminum with a remotely mounted strobe. A lead from inside the submersible was used to trigger the cameras and a laser pointer provided an aiming capability. The camera was rigidly mounted to the sub and the entire vehicle was maneuvered to line up the camera pointer with the subject. In the early years of digital, subs usually had an external video camera with fairly low resolution mounted on a pan and tilt system that was used for general recording of activities, but was not adequate for the detailed specimen photos.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][qode_elements_holder number_of_columns=”two_columns” switch_to_one_column=”1000″][qode_elements_holder_item item_padding=”20px 9% 30px 9%” advanced_animations=”no”][vc_single_image image=”15753″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1491176500169{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”1″ up=”15″ down=”0″][vc_column_text]Go Pro cameras were a dream come true for underwater science. A simple still camera system for underwater time-lapse photography opened up infinite possibilities for documenting research. Working with our colleagues from Scripps Institution of Oceanography we put together time lapse GoPro systems that could take a photograph every minute for up to 11 days using a very large memory card and external battery pack. These have since been used to document fish spawning aggregations, mantas, dugongs and jellyfish, among a myriad of other uses.[\/vc_column_text][\/qode_elements_holder_item][qode_elements_holder_item item_padding=”0px 0px 0px 0px” advanced_animations=”no”][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”16869,16870,16871,16872,16873,16874,16875,16876,16877″ img_size=”full”][\/qode_elements_holder_item][\/qode_elements_holder][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” background_color=”#ffffff”][vc_column][qode_elements_holder number_of_columns=”two_columns” switch_to_one_column=”1000″][qode_elements_holder_item item_padding=”0px 0px 0px 0px” advanced_animations=”no”][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”16772,16213,16211,16212,16214,16217,16215,16219,16218″ img_size=”full”][\/qode_elements_holder_item][qode_elements_holder_item item_padding=”20px 9% 30px 9%” advanced_animations=”no”][vc_single_image image=”15753″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1491176500169{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\nCamera Systems<\/h3>\n
Deepwater Cameras<\/span><\/h3>\n
The age of Go Pros<\/h3>\n
Stereo Video<\/h3>\n