This Is How Oceanographers Use Gaming Technology to Map Coral Reefs
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This Is How Oceanographers Use Gaming Technology to Map Coral Reefs

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Over 50% of the world’s coral reefs have died over the past 30 years, and up to 90% may die within the next century. To map, record and study these reefs, scientists are now turning to game technology.

Oceanographers are utilizing expertise from the gaming industry to map the ocean floor, together with the coral reefs. Scientists are now mapping coral beds deep below the oceans of Japan’s Okinawa islands, according to the worldwide information community, France 24.

Plot All The Reefs

As part of the so-called 100 Islands programme, these scientists are responsible for charting and assessing the well-being of coral throughout the world. Oceanographers will swim backwards and forwards through the coral reefs, taking photos. Gradually, they will be able to plot all the reefs and stitch the photographs together to create a digital actuality 3D reconstruction.

This is all doable because of developments within the online game sector, according to Vid Petrovic, a PC scientist engaged in mapping the reefs. “We get to make the most of the simply ridiculously, highly effective hardware that exists due to video games,” said Petravik while holding a PlayStation Four controller. “The little, you realize, additional bits of profit when it comes to human interface units.”

 

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