Data acquisition software applied to take GPS and sonar data together with input from other instruments to provide fast and effective mapping
Windmill data acquisition software is collecting data from GPS and sonar as part of an automated sea-floor mapping system.
Data from other instruments, such as salinometers and thermometers, can be automatically incorporated.
There is a growing requirement to monitor and map marine environments: for coral reef preservation programmes, deep-sea research, salvage, marine archaeology, aquaculture, and other exploration and environmental management purposes.
Marine scientists from the University of Oslo wanted to empower environmental management institutions in developing nations, and thus sought to develop a sea-floor monitoring system that was low-cost and reliable.
The data collection software they chose was Windmill.
The practical requirements of their system were that a GPS and a sonar should be plugged into a laptop computer, and the three-dimensional position data from these instruments integrated and logged by software that was able to export the data in spreadsheet format. They chose Windmill because it did exactly what they wanted, was easy-to-use and came with free technical support for life.
Once Windmill had acquired the data it could be imported into any major mapping software on the market.
Mapping sessions of small areas have been completed in less than 20 minutes.
This is because mapping can be done at high speeds (20-30 knots, limited only by the output rates of the sonar and GPS) and maps can be plotted instantly on the laptop.
Although the scientists chose Windmill for a very specific task, they soon became aware that Windmill can do more than integrating two instruments.
All that is needed to expand the system is more Com ports and peripheral instruments such as thermometers, salinometers and current meters.
Using such setups, it is possible to produce 3D-images of the sea-floor with superimposed maps of water conditions in no time at all, using instruments already available at most institutions.
Using simple synchronisation techniques, video camera evidence can also be incorporated The mapping system is currently being used in a collaborative project between the University of Oslo, University Sains Malaysia, and Malaysian Marine Park authorities-for mapping the coral reefs of Pulau Payar Marine Park in West Malaysia.
A coral-reef area of 114 hectares was video mapped in six hours, achieving reef mapping rates previously only possible with airborne imaging devices. However, this system results in 'ground-truthed' data and provides detailed bathymetric data that air-borne sensors do not provide.
The system has proved itself as a stand-alone reef mapping and classification tool on a scale of tens to hundreds of square kilometres.
It provides scientists and marine managers with a low cost and versatile sea-floor mapping system.
