Page 57: of Marine Technology Magazine (April 2006)

www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 57

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Coda Octopus and the University of South Florida's Center for Ocean

Technology (COT) recently held a joint demonstration in Tampa Bay of the COT developed Mobile

Inspection Package (MIP), which fea- tures the Coda Echoscope, touted as the world's first commercially avail- able real-time 3D sonar.

With military and homeland securi- ty observers on hand, the Coda

Echoscope — on board a small research vessel = successfully located a variety of mine-like objects placed on harbor walls. Images and data were transmitted via the Internet to a remote command and control center where they could be shared and rap- idly analyzed by personnel. "We are extremely proud that we have been able to reach the commer- cial stage with this revolutionary tech- nology, making it available as a tool in the worldwide effort to fight potential terrorist attacks on our vulnerable ports and harbors," said Jason Reid,

CEO of Coda Octopus.

Larry Langebrake, COT director, said, "The Coda Octopus Echoscope is indeed a powerful instrument. Its unique ability to provide crisp, clear 3D images that are easily interpreted by the untrained eye make it ideal for underwater security."

Coda Octopus has delivered four of the first 10 Echoscope units that are on order around the world, and it is building up its manufacturing capa- bility to deliver many more in the months ahead. Tests by the U.S. Navy are scheduled and the firm expects steady growth in new orders as testing and utilization of the equipment con- tinues.

Working with Coda Octopus, the

Center for Ocean Technology has successfully integrated a number of complementary sensors, including the Echoscope 3D real time sonar and a survey-quality navigation sys- tem, refining the approach to under- water inspection in the port and har- bor environment.

The result is a readily understand- able 3D data product where the exact location of every target is precisely known and available in real time, which allows for intuitive operator analysis. The data from the MIP is visible from the support vessel and is also simultaneously sent back in real time to a command and control cen- ter. This allows the MIP system to integrate well with other existing security systems.

Founded in 1994 as Coda

Technologies, Coda Octopus is a leading developer of underwater tech- nologies for imaging, mapping, defense and survey applications.

By AUVSI Staff

U.S. Geological Survey Publishes Report usSEABED: Atlantic Coast Offshore Surficial Sediment Data Release, 2005, Version 1.0, U.S. Geological Survey

Data Series 118

This data release publication provides an improved and robust integrated database (usSEABED) of seabed charac- teristics for the Atlantic continental margin of the United States that fulfills a need for information about seabed char- acteristics for use by geologists, ecologists, biologists, resource managers, and national defense investigators. usSEABED provides a digital, integrated database of existing physical data and information from the seafloor, includ- ing textural, statistical, geochemical, geophysical, and compositional information. It uses the dbSEABED data min- ing and processing software to extend the coverage of information in areas where data coverage is descriptive as well as quantitative. The data coverage includes the U.S. Atlantic coast from northern Maine to Key West, Florida and extends seaward across the continental shelf and slope. More than 150 different data sources containing over 200,000 data points are currently contained in usSEABED for the Atlantic.

DS-118 is available on the web at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2005/118/

Commercial 3D Sonar Put to the Test

Sonar Systems & Seafloor Mapping

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