New Publication: Underwater Object Detection Under Domain Shift

Fall is underway, and we have a new publication coming. This link will take you to the article about our new publication. It’s about how Joe Walker used the SUITs, data augmentation, and domain adaptation techniques to tackle the challenges of underwater object detection.

(Sampling locations, dates, and methodology. (a) Data were collected from two regions (red boxes) in the Tropical Pacific Ocean. (b) Study sites from the Tuamotu Archipelago region, which include the islands Takapoto (TAK), Rangiroa (RAN), and Huahine (HUA). The sampling date for each study site is reported as MM/YYYY. (c) Study sites from the Palmyra Atoll, which include sites in the southern (PS), southwest (PSW), and northwest (PNW) parts of the island. (d) For each study site, a survey plot (100 or 200 m2) is defined and imaged by divers in a grid pattern. (e) Photograph of the SUIT.)

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Underwater Robot Swarm: A Birch Aquarium Interactive Exhibit

A new interactive exhibit is coming to Birch Aquarium featuring one of the robots from our underwater swarm. Guests will have an interactive experience with the robot and leave the exhibit more informed about modern ocean instruments researchers use. When the exhibit opens, you will see a post about it here!

Here is a website link with a description of the project and presentation slides.

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Applied Ocean Science Seminar

This is a video of a recent seminar presented by Jules, where he introduces his group and contemporary research projects that include building
swarms of underwater robots and a new project to measure the descent rate of marine snow in situ.  He also talks about recent results that use moderate to high (cm’s to mm’s) resolution systems to learn about larval distribution of Nassau Groupers in the Caymans and a, currently underway, project to measure photosynthetic efficiency of corals, in situ.

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Deploying The DEVIN

The DEVIN (Diving Ecological Vehicle In-Situ Navigator)—is a low-cost, open-source robot that can be deployed in the ocean to observe microscopic plankton. Our summer intern group developed this vehicle and named it after our lab engineer.  While The DEVIN cannot operate a laser cutter or make bad puns, it is well-equipped to take images of plankton.  Here are some photos of The DEVIN in action!

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Testing the BUMP in Maui

A few weeks ago, Or Ben Zi went to Maui to test the underwater image quality of the BUMP.   The video shows her making adjustments to the BUMP while maintaining buoyancy.  Quite impressive!

Unfortunately, Maui is suffering from a major wildfire outbreak at this time.  The Jaffe Lab extends our deepest condolences to those harmed or lost during the fire.  If you would like to support the people who have been affected by this disaster, please visit the Hawaii Community Foundation website where you can donate to the community relief fund.

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MPL Intern Cruise

Here are pictures from a recent excursion on the R/V Robert Gordon Sproul with a new cohort of bright-eyed interns.  This was a fun and fulfilling adventure for them as quite a few of them have never been on a boat before.

 

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Tracking Endangered Nassau Grouper Eggs with Underwater Microscope

We just published a new article about how we used  our underwater microscope to track the eggs of Nassua grouper fish.  This research is key to better understanding the spawing aggregation of this endangered species and find ways to help them.  Please check it out and congrats to the lab on another publication!

Scripps’ website post on our research.

(Image sequences of Nassau grouper egg and larval development)

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New Publication: Environmental and ecological drivers of harmful algal blooms revealed by automated underwater microscopy

Another day, another publication! Congrats to Kasia Kenitz, the lead author, on her use of data from our in situ pier plankton cameras. Here is a link to the article for everyone interested in the topic: Article Link.

(Image below: The SPC micro and mini are microscopes that were deployed underwater and used to capture images of plankton)

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From Physics to Physiology

Check out this recent talk given by Jules Jaffe, where he discusses the experiments that bracket his career.

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