Issue 41 - September 2018

Artificial Intelligence Guides Rapid Data-Driven Exploration of Changing Underwater Habitats

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Researchers aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor used autonomous underwater robots, along with the Institute’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian, to acquire 1.3 million high resolution images of the seafloor at Hydrate Ridge, composing them into the largest known high resolution color 3D model of the seafloor. Using unsupervised clustering algorithms, they identified dynamic biological hotspots in the image data for more detailed surveys and sampling by a remotely operated vehicle.

A recent expedition led by Dr. Blair Thornton, holding Associate Professorships at both the University of Southampton and the Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo, demonstrated how the use of autonomous robotics and artificial intelligence at sea can dramatically accelerate the exploration and study of hard to reach deep sea ecosystems, like intermittently active methane seeps. Thanks to rapid high throughput data analysis at sea, it was possible to identify biological hotspots at the Hydrate Ridge Region off the coast of Oregon, quickly enough to survey and sample them, within days following the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) imaging survey. The team aboard research vessel Falkor used a form of Artificial Intelligence, unsupervised clustering, to analyze AUV-acquired seafloor images and identify target areas for more detailed photogrammetric AUV surveys and focused interactive hotspot sampling with ROV SuBastian.

This project demonstrated how modern data science can greatly increase the efficiency of conventional research at sea, and improve the productivity of interactive seafloor exploration with the all too familiar “stumbling in the dark” mode. “Developing totally new operational workflows is risky, however, it is very relevant for applications such as seafloor monitoring, ecosystem survey and planning the installation and decommissioning of seafloor infrastructure,” said Thornton.

The idea behind this Adaptive Robotics mission was not to upturn the structure of how things are done at sea, but simply to remove bottlenecks in the flow of information and data-processing using computational methods and Artificial Intelligence. The algorithms used are able to rapidly produce simple summaries of observations, and form subsequent deployment plans. This way, scientists can respond to dynamic changes in the environment and target areas that will lead to the biggest operational, scientific, or environmental management gains.

More than 1.3 million seafloor images were collected and algorithmically analyzed to find biological hotspots and precisely target them for interactive sampling and observations. The initial wide-area seafloor imagery was acquired with an underwater vehicle “Ae2000f” using high-altitude 3D visual mapping cameras at underwater sites between 680 and 780 meters depth. The international team deployed multiple AUVs, developed by the University of Tokyo, which were equipped with 3D visual mapping technology developed jointly by the University of Sydney, University of Southampton, and the University of Tokyo and the Kyushu Institute of Technology as part of an international collaboration.

The conversion of the initial wide area survey imagery into three dimensional seafloor maps and habitat type summaries onboard Falkor, allowed the researchers to plan the subsequent robotic deployments to perform higher resolution visual imaging, environmental and chemical surveying, and physical sampling in areas of greatest interest, particularly at the ephemeral hotspots of biological activity that intermittently form around transitory methane seeps. Nineteen AUV deployments and fifteen ROV dives were completed in total during the expedition, including several multi-vehicle operations.

Thanks to rapid processing of data, a photogrammetric map of one of the best studied gas hydrate deposits was completed. This is believed to be the largest 3D color reconstruction of the seafloor, by area, in the world, measuring more than 118,000 square meters or 11.8 hectares, and covering a region of approximately 500 x 350 meters. While the average resolution of the maps obtained is 6 mm, the areas of most interest were mapped with resolution an order of magnitude higher, which would not have been possible without the ability to intelligently target the sites of interest with high resolution imaging surveys and process the large volumes of acquired data within hours of their acquisition at sea.

Normally, maps like this would take several months to process and only after the completion of an expedition, at which point the science team is no longer at the site, and the habitats may have already evolved or expired. Instead, the research team was able to compose the 3D maps on board of Falkor within days of the images being acquired. The composite map was used during the expedition to plan operations, including the recovery of seafloor instruments and was invaluable for revisiting specific sites, such as active bubble plumes, making the entire operation more efficient.

“It is quite amazing to see such large areas of the seafloor mapped visually, especially only days after the raw data was collected. It is not just the size of the map, but also the way we were able to use it to inform our decisions while still on site. This makes a real difference as the technology makes it possible to visualize wide areas at very high resolution, and also easily identify and target areas where we should collect data. This has not previously been possible,” said Thornton.

You can learn more at https://schmidtocean.org/cruise/adaptive-robotics-at-barkley-canyon-and-hydrate-ridge/

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We love the work we do, and we hope you love the content we share. A donation in support of SEVENSEAS Media will help us carry our mission forward.

The mission of SEVENSEAS Media is to connect individuals and resources inside and outside of the conservation community to further the shared goal of preventing habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. Since our creation, we’ve been achieving this mission through:

Running community building projects in 174 countries
Engaging student ambassadors in over 50 universities
Forming strategic alliances and partnerships with over 200 professional organizations
Publishing over 500 authors, photographers, and researchers
Sponsoring dozens of beach and community clean-ups
Providing free scientific resources for educators
Promoting over 20 tailored conservation job postings per week- totaling over 1000 opportunities per year
Inspiring and educating our readers through rich imagery, engaging content, and a compelling conservation message
We do all of the above FOR FREE, because we care about the future

Find the latest articles on SEVENSEAS Media here.

Want to get in touch with questions or a submission? Contact us here.

This piece was edited and posted onto SEVENSEAS Media by: Bharamee Thamrongmas.

Related Topics:schmidt schmidt ocean institute

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ECO-TRAVEL DEALS

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Pete Oxford Expeditions.

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We love the work we do, and we hope you love the content we share. A donation in support of SEVENSEAS Media will help us carry our mission forward.

Running community building projects in 174 countries
Engaging student ambassadors in over 50 universities
Forming strategic alliances and partnerships with over 200 professional organizations
Publishing over 500 authors, photographers, and researchers
Sponsoring dozens of beach and community clean-ups
Providing free scientific resources for educators
Promoting over 20 tailored conservation job postings per week- totaling over 1000 opportunities per year
Inspiring and educating our readers through rich imagery, engaging content, and a compelling conservation message
We do all of the above FOR FREE, because we care about the future

Find the latest articles on SEVENSEAS Media here.

Want to get in touch with questions or a submission? Contact us here.

This piece was edited and posted onto SEVENSEAS Media by Giacomo Abrusci

Conservation Photography

Under the Waves with Karim Iliya for September 2018

Freediver Charyse Reinfelder stops for a moment to rest along a sandy channel in the waters off Maui, Hawaii

Karim was published in National Geographic magazine for his humpback whale photography. He now leads his own trips so that others can swim with whales.

If you are interested in swimming with or photographing humpback whales, Karim guides people in small trips between August and October every year in Tonga. Visit www.dancewithwhales.com to find out more

To see more of Karim’s work, visit his website at www.karimphotography.com

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We love the work we do, and we hope you love the content we share. A donation in support of SEVENSEAS Media will help us carry our mission forward.

Running community building projects in 174 countries
Engaging student ambassadors in over 50 universities
Forming strategic alliances and partnerships with over 200 professional organizations
Publishing over 500 authors, photographers, and researchers
Sponsoring dozens of beach and community clean-ups
Providing free scientific resources for educators
Promoting over 20 tailored conservation job postings per week- totaling over 1000 opportunities per year
Inspiring and educating our readers through rich imagery, engaging content, and a compelling conservation message
We do all of the above FOR FREE, because we care about the future

Find the latest articles on SEVENSEAS Media here.

Want to get in touch with questions or a submission? Contact us here.

This piece was edited and posted onto SEVENSEAS Media by: Bharamee Thamrongmas.

Art & Culture

Rethinking soap… for the environment

Summer is over for many of you while it is just starting to warm up for some readers farther south. I use the change of seasons as my firm reminder for housekeeping and an environmental inventory of my home. Time to change air filters, replace batteries, check windows, and make sure my heating and cooling is running efficiently. It is also a great opportunity to phase out less efficient appliances or products and rethink alternatives that are better for the environment.

Homemade solution to cut plastic

We are trying extra hard to reduce our plastic and packaging consumption. One household step was doing away with bottled body wash and going back to using bar soap. A small no-brainer that uses way less packaging and really saves us money! When you think about it, bottled soap is just a diluted bar with added stabalizers. Basically we are just paying for the cost to bottle and transport the water in our wash. Our next experiment at home was a little more time consuming, involves more planning, but was lot more fun. My husband and I learned how ridiculously easy it was to make soap from scratch. You can buy all the raw ingredients just about anywhere in the world, then heat, mix, and let dry. You can custom make them using essential oils and scrubs with no artificial additives to stay gentle on your skin. One batch goes a long way and once you wrap it in paper it makes a great gift-giving solution.

Our homemade soap recipe and instructions:

Ingredients: ⅔ cup of coconut oil for lather. ⅔ cup olive oil for a hard bar gentle on your skin. ⅔ cup of other oil of your choice like almond oil, avocado, or sunflower. ¼ cup lye – also called 100% sodium hydroxide (found at a local hardware store). ¾ cup cool distilled water. Then your choice of essential oil, any dried herbs or spices, and a scrub (coffee grinds, dried and crushed peach pits, and charcoal bits are my favorite). You will also need a thermometer, soap molds (old food containers like yogurt cups work fine), and some old cooking equipment that you will no longer use for food.

Using protective gear to keep your eyes, skin, and clothes safe, gently stir the lye into your water. Be sure to avoid accidentally breathing powder or any fumes. Once the lye is dissolved you can set it aside. Mixing water and lye creates an exothermic reaction that causes a dramatic temperature increase. Adding lye to room temperature water can cause the water to reach temperatures up to 200 ° F.
Then, in another container, add your oils together equalling a full pint. Heat on a stovetop or in the microwave for a minute until it reaches about 120 degrees.
By this time, both the water-lye solution and the oils should both be about 120 degrees. Monitor their temperature till they drop to somewhere between 95° and 105°. This temperature range is VERY IMPORTANT for soap making. When everything is the correct temperature, transfer the oils to a mixing bowl and slowly mix in the lye solution. Stir for 5 minutes as it thickens and turns lighter. After five minutes when the soap is a medium trace and is still pourable, mix-in your [optional] scrub and essential oils and pour the thickened liquid into a mold. Cover with an old towel or cloth and set it aside for at least 24 hours to allow for the saponification process of the base ingredients to become soap.
After about a day when the soap hardens and cools, pop it out, cut into smaller pieces if need be, and place on a drying rack in a closet or garage. Let the soap dry out and “cure” for up to four weeks. Then use or wrap in paper for storage or to gift away!

If it is that easy, why keep it a secret?

To make soap-making even more fun, invite some friends for wine, tell them to bring their own essential oil, plus a scrub of their choice, and make it a group event. Then everyone can share a bar of their own creation. When I first heard about making soap for a greener household I filed that suggestion away with churning my own butter and sewing my own clothes- but it is actually really easy, realistic, and it makes a huge impact. Trying it out once is likely enough to make you never want to go back.

This was by far the most green solution we found for washing up at home. Do you have any other DIY tips, recipes, or suggestions? Let us know so we can share them!

Once again I would like to thank all of our contributors and readers for your continued support. If you care about the transforming power of visual media and storytelling, and for the current and future generation of ocean conservation professionals, please consider a small donation to keep SEVENSEAS Media a free resource.

Safe travels and happy swimming,

Giacomo Abrusci
Executive Director

We love the work we do, and we hope you love the content we share. A donation in support of SEVENSEAS Media will help us carry our mission forward.

Running community building projects in 174 countries
Engaging student ambassadors in over 50 universities
Forming strategic alliances and partnerships with over 200 professional organizations
Publishing over 500 authors, photographers, and researchers
Sponsoring dozens of beach and community clean-ups
Providing free scientific resources for educators
Promoting over 20 tailored conservation job postings per week- totaling over 1000 opportunities per year
Inspiring and educating our readers through rich imagery, engaging content, and a compelling conservation message
We do all of the above FOR FREE, because we care about the future