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Reef with a view: Take underwater virtual tour
Source: Agencies |
February 24, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FINDING Nemo is about to get a lot easier with the launch of a scientific survey that will allow anyone with access to the Internet to take a virtual tour of Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
The survey, which will use a variety of high-tech underwater cameras, will carry out one of the most intensive studies of the reef up to a depth of 100 meters, with the public watching via Youtube and other Google sites.
"There are a whole series of ways of using the imagery and ultimately this is bridging a gap between science and public awareness," said Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, chief scientist of the Catlin Seaview Survey.
"The only way to do that is to make it part of people's activities," Hoegh-Guldberg of the University of Queensland said during the launch of the survey at a conference on the oceans in Singapore.
The images will help better understand the impact of climate change on the reef and also help scientists carry out more regular surveys of fish, turtles and other animals.
A specifically developed camera attached to underwater vehicle will take thousands of 360-degree panoramic images from locations along the length of the 2,300 kilometer reef off Queensland state.
These panoramas, when stitched together, will allow people to choose a location, dip underwater and go for a virtual dive.
Google's Panoramio site, which links pictures to locations, will eventually allow a total of about 50,000 panoramas to be uploaded and accessible via Google Earth, Google Maps and Youtube.
The survey, which will use a variety of high-tech underwater cameras, will carry out one of the most intensive studies of the reef up to a depth of 100 meters, with the public watching via Youtube and other Google sites.
"There are a whole series of ways of using the imagery and ultimately this is bridging a gap between science and public awareness," said Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, chief scientist of the Catlin Seaview Survey.
"The only way to do that is to make it part of people's activities," Hoegh-Guldberg of the University of Queensland said during the launch of the survey at a conference on the oceans in Singapore.
The images will help better understand the impact of climate change on the reef and also help scientists carry out more regular surveys of fish, turtles and other animals.
A specifically developed camera attached to underwater vehicle will take thousands of 360-degree panoramic images from locations along the length of the 2,300 kilometer reef off Queensland state.
These panoramas, when stitched together, will allow people to choose a location, dip underwater and go for a virtual dive.
Google's Panoramio site, which links pictures to locations, will eventually allow a total of about 50,000 panoramas to be uploaded and accessible via Google Earth, Google Maps and Youtube.
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