Coral reefs are often referred to as the rainforests of the sea. They occupy less than 0.1 percent of the ocean floor but provide a habitat for 25 percent of the world’s marine species. And like rain forests, coral reefs are at severe risk due to a range of human activity—from destructive fishing practices and careless tourists to pollution and (most significantly) climate change.
A critical component of addressing threats to coral reefs is understanding the scope of the damage. But traditional methods of monitoring reefs are based on extremely inefficient and error-prone manual measurements of corals using tape measures.
Bring on Reality Capture & Computing
The Hydrous, a not-for-profit organization involved in coral reef science and research, is using Reality Computing to create very detailed 3D models of coral reefs. The team uses an underwater digital camera and Autodesk photogrammetry software to digitally capture portions of coral reefs and create 3D models that can be used to accurately measure and monitor the reefs over time.
Studies on the coral reef in 3D from underwater images http://autode.sk/1plzXnt