Applied Technology Review : News

Due to improvements in surveillance technology, Ocean industry practices are under scrutiny, and the industry holds accountability for how their activities affect the ocean’s health. Many ocean industries have existed for centuries far from land, out of sight, and usually out of mind. High-resolution satellite imagery, drones, tracking systems, and a global call for accountability are beginning to lift the veil on industrial ocean practices. While the ocean industries have little control over surveillance technologies, they can directly contribute to the movement towards greater transparency by taking an active role in data sharing. This increases not only operational accountability, but also public trust, profitability, and even operational efficiency and sustainability. Human well-being and the global economy are dependent on the ocean's sustainable utilization. To ensure such utilization, companies engaged in ocean-based economic activities must be transparent in their operations to owners, customers, and society as a whole. This transparency is demanded mainly from owners and finance as they require direct insight into long-term ocean operations in order to reduce financial risk and comply with both investment policy and their own environmental profiles. Owners will be able to exercise responsible ownership more easily if they have constant access to information. Examples of owners and financial institutions requesting this can be witnessed as Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) has stated unequivocally that it expects the companies in which it has invested to share both sustainability strategies and the impact of their operations on the oceans. Another example is the Poseidon Principles, which several ship financing banks have agreed to follow in order to promote international shipping's decarbonization for creating a framework for incorporating climate considerations into lending decisions. Furthermore, Customers are pushing from the bottom up for transparency. Customers' operational and market risks are inseparably linked to how they source their goods and services, and thus to their environmental profile and future earnings. The Vanora – C4IR Ocean cargo chartering solution will demonstrate this as a charterer will be able to compare vessel efficiency and CO2 emission estimates from the various vessel and route options, thus directly addressing the environmental impact of the operations. Therefore, data sharing directly allows market forces to intervene and drive change. Parallels with John Maynard Keynes' concept of user cost can be drawn in this light. Initially, Keynes saw this as a situation in which entrepreneurs sacrifice future profits by investing in capital equipment today ...Read more

Underwater observatory technologies offer the most permanent way of studying the deep sea.  For most of human history, the vast watery abode sea, which covers 70 percent of the earth's surface, remained unexplored. But in recent years, technology has started to give a glimpse of the deep-sea landscape. Traditionally, explorers have investigated the ocean from ships on its surface, but today the status of sea exploration is changing drastically. Here are some of the technologies which make the transition a reality. Fluorescence Detection Cameras One of the biggest discoveries made in the field of ocean exploration is the proliferation of biofluorescence in the darkest parts of the sea. Realms that appear pitch black to naked eyes are actually filled with more than 250 species of fish. To detect them, researchers built a camera that filters out specific wavelengths of light like the shark's eye does. Coupled with artificial blue light to improve the fluorescent color, this equipment enables scientists to record the light show. Soft Grippers Collecting specimens at the bottom of the ocean is not an easy task. Researchers can't just step out of their submersible to pick up a specimen from the seabed. The only way to retrieve a sample at such depths is through a machine. So, soft grippers are a clever option to consider here. It evenly distributes the force around the creature being handled and keeps the fingers from spreading when they inflate with water. The mechanism is also sturdy enough to work at depths reaching 1000 feet. Aquatic Drones A remotely operated vehicle can explore the tight, crushing pockets of the ocean that human divers cannot reach. This technology is often costly and limited to research teams with massive budgets. New companies are aiming to make underwater  drones  more accessible to explorers. Satellite Imaging Sometimes the easiest method for underwater scientists to get a view of the bottom of the ocean is by sending devices to space. Satellites can estimate measurements of the peaks and valleys shaping the seabed by beaming radar pulses towards the earth and find the time it takes to bounce back. While this method doesn't offer an accurate map of the ocean floor, it can be used to measure depths in even the most remote areas.   ...Read more

Remote security and video surveillance ensure better security and cost savings. Security threats are everywhere. Commercial premises, equipment and storage yards, even trade booths and exhibit shows are often targeted by thieves, trespassers, and vandals. Sometimes the most significant risks are already inside the organization and working to exploit it. Modern video surveillance and remote security are the two most powerful tools businesses can use to deter criminals and stop damage to their profits and productivity. Here are some benefits of a remote security system: Remote security cameras enable consumers to check in and interact with their security feed from any location, in real-time, using any digital device. Remote security agents check the feed to monitor the intensity of threats, interact with the infiltrator directly and alert law enforcement accordingly. Modern and advanced analytics can read and comprehend license plates to track any suspicious individual quickly. When light quality is poor, features like infrared and thermal imaging can track body heat. Remote security cameras with 360-degree views offer an expansive view and better site coverage. Installing video surveillance can be beneficial in the following ways: Better protection from accidents and frauds Workplaces are prone to accidents. It is always beneficial to have reliable security footage to discover the actual cause of an accident and ensure whether the business has to pay for it. Also, the insurers will appreciate having evidence for any incident to support claims. Law enforcement can make use of the visuals to identify any internal or external criminal activity. It is always better to record and store footage because it can be evidence for a case and prove to be useful at any point in time for the business. Quick installation Video surveillance may be up and operating in minutes due to wireless technology that doesn't rely on easily accessible power outlets to determine its position. Mobile video units can be set up fast and on-demand at any place for as long as they're needed. Cost savings Video surveillance is much cheaper than deploying physical guards. It does not need long-term contracts. Units can be rented according to the need, and billing is fixed, which saves cost. However, units can be added or removed according to the surveillance equipment being used. Investing in video surveillance also assures the insurers of the business that there will be no security evidence concerns if an accident occurs. ...Read more