Underwater Window: High Definition Video on VENUS and NEPTUNE

Abstract

A joint McGill -University of Victoria team is deploying a high definition video camera on the VENUS project node in the Saanich Inlet and will be using the experience gained to deploy similar cameras on the NEPTUNE project network. Underwater HD camera selection is discussed for both scientific research and public outreach. Low light level capability and an extended lens zoom range enable the study of small invertebrate behaviour. A unique camera control user interface was designed that will allow scientists to see a large scale map of their sites of interest while the camera is zoomed in on one particular site. Camera control software challenges included designing a system that would simultaneously control the camera, two sets of lighting and the pan/tilt, which are separate devices, from a single user interface over a shared network. A camera support and control system was designed and deployed. The high definition camera and zoom lens are mounted in a pressure canister on a large support frame that has an integrated camera pan/tilt mechanism. There are two types of illumination and a set of lasers that project reference lines for gauging object size. The entire camera system is connected to the VENUS node using a wet-mate hybrid connector (copper and fiber optic). The paper also discusses the deployment of the camera and support structure in Saanich Inlet and the subsequent connection to the VENUS node.

A Focus on Recent Developments and Trends in Underwater Imaging

“…A recent undertaking involves deploying a HD video camera on VENUS (Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea) and NEPTUNE (North East Pacific Time-Series Undersea Networked Experiments) (Roston et al, 2007). In a joint effort by McGill University and the University of Victoria, the system is designed to transmit live, full broadcast standard HD video (1280 x 720 pixels in 10-bit color at 60 Hz) over a 1 Gbps network using ultra-videoconferencing software.…”

Software architecture for interactive robot teleoperation

“…They present a software architecture that provides a uniform look-and-feel web interface presenting sensor information on the distance robot. Other work, such as in [18], present a system that facilitates interactive remote control of a high definition camera on an underwater robot, while transmitting the video feedback using web services. The aim of this system is to enable the public to control their own view of the undersea environment, independently of their location.…”

The Ocean Technology Test Bed - From concept to operation

“…Before cable ocean observatories, the bandwidth required to support this type of instrument simply wasn't available. A low light camera with an extended optical zoom range was developed for the Underwater Window project for the purpose of studying microscopic creatures and witnessing phenomena that had never before been captured [5]. This camera platform is able to optically zoom into to a spot on the seafloor approximately one inch across and produce a full HD video of the activities in that square inch.…”