Page 63: of Marine Technology Magazine (July 2016)

Schmidt Ocean Institute 555 Bryant Street, #374, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Phone: (650) 681-8460

Fax: (415) 975-4081

Email: [email protected] http://schmidtocean.org

CEO/President: Eric Schmidt

Number of Employees: 76

Vice President: Wendy Schmidt broadband ship-shore connections. The abilities it has developed give SOI the chance to accelerate scienti? c un- derstanding of ocean systems, and increase public aware- ness. This is demonstrated by the high de? nition video provided by SOI from ROV dives in remote areas. In

March, scientists used new imaging equipment to recon- struct a hydrothermal vent site in 3D with virtual reality technology. The ROV dives that take place off of Falkor are made available in YouTube, adding to SOI’s video collection that has received more than 11,000 viewers.

Advanced operational, informational and technical sup- SOI is working to revolutionize how visual data is stored port is essential to the success of ocean science. Schmidt and shared with the development of a new open-source

Ocean Institute (SOI) was established as a 501(c)(3) data annotation program. Working with such advanced private nonpro? t operating foundation in 2009 to raise the computing systems, there is a need for large storage. R/V standards of critical seagoing research infrastructure and Falkor can now house up to 1.1 petabytes of information provide more ocean access to scientists and engineers. with our high performance computing system.

SOI seeks to work with the best innovators to acceler- Committed to continuous innovation of shipboard sci- ate the pace of ocean science aboard its global research enti? c systems, SOI this year has completed its ? rst un- platform, R/V Falkor. SOI’s research expeditions return derwater 4,500 m capable remotely operated vehicle unprecedented amounts of open-access data, which it (ROV), SuBastian. The ROV’s imaging system includes openly shares with the public. SOI has completed more cience cameras, capable of both 4K video and 20 mega- than 32 research cruises that have resulted in many dis- pixel still images. The ROV SuBastian will be integrated coveries including the third deepest hydrothermal vent, with the ship and tested in waters off of Guam this sum- the world’s deepest ? sh and several new underwater sea- mer. R/V Falkor is the only research vessel with a high mounts. In ? ve years, R/V Falkor’s advanced multibeam performance computing system made freely available to system has mapped over 400,000 km² of ocean ? oor, scientists to run complex oceanographic numeric models an area larger than most European countries. Research to inform ? eld observations and test hypothesis while onboard Falkor has also focused on poorly understood research cruises are in progress. Thus far the computer areas such as the Mariana Trench Back-Arc. As a result has supported four separate cruises modeling 3D reef and of the cruises conducted, over 72 publications have been vent systems. R/V Falkor’s adaptable system has also al- produced since 2013 and more than 3,000 individuals lowed for scientist to create on-board laboratories. Earlier have been reached through virtual classroom connec- this year a science team implemented the ? rst large-scale tions as part of SOI’s Ship-to-Shore Program. Engaging deployment of a new protein biomarker technology. The students from around the world has been an exciting part “targeted metaproteomics” approach will be used to of Falkor’s mission, providing opportunities to see what diagnose marine microbial populations and their interac- the practice of ocean science looks like from on board, in tion with ocean chemistry. Additionally, R/V Falkor is the classroom or online. used as a testing platform for engineering of new vehicles

SOI showcases breakthrough ocean research made and robotics. Last year, SOI hosted its ? rst coordinated possible with advanced technologies, such as marine robotics cruise with seven underwater vehicles deployed robotics, high performance computing, telepresence and simultaneously.

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