A new tool developed by scientists from MIT and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution shows the ocean as if water did not exist. Through sophisticated image analysis, it eliminates the optical effects of the aquatic environment, revealing the real colors of the underwater landscape.
The technique, called SeaSplat, reconstructs ocean scenes in three dimensions from images taken by divers or underwater robots. This not only improves visual clarity but also allows virtual exploration of these spaces with unprecedented color fidelity.
Unlike other methods, SeaSplat integrates a model of water behavior that corrects distortions and colorations caused by depth, turbidity, and refraction. The result is a precise visualization, useful for scientific research and environmental monitoring.
Thanks to this advancement, researchers can detect subtle changes in marine ecosystems, such as coral bleaching or biodiversity loss, more quickly and accurately.
SeaSplat, the technological tool that shows the ocean in a unique way. Photo: Social media.
Technology in the Service of Marine Conservation
This type of three-dimensional reconstruction can transform the work of biologists and ecologists. By virtually navigating reefs, marine meadows, or abyssal zones, the study of hard-to-reach habitats is facilitated, and real-time decision-making is improved.
Furthermore, SeaSplat opens up new possibilities for monitoring protected areas, allowing comparison of images with previous records and detecting deteriorations invisible to the naked eye. Thus, the ability to respond to environmental threats is strengthened.
On a planet where oceans face increasing pressure from climate change and human activity, tools like SeaSplat represent an alliance between science and technology in the service of underwater life.
With the promise of extending its use to new environments and exploration missions, SeaSplat marks a before and after in the way we see, understand, and protect the submerged world.
ocean floor and dark oxygen
Why Oceans Bear the Brunt of Climate Change
Different data and statistics from recent decades allow us to assert that oceans bear the brunt of climate change.
“The ocean has long borne the brunt of human impact on global warming,” states the UN’s Climate Action Plan.
This is because the seas are carbon sinks and act as temperature regulators. However, this comes at a cost with an excessive release of greenhouse gases and the consequent increasing temperature.
