Biodiversity AI is one of the coolest emerging technologies that we are really excited about. This tech will allow us to view and monitor the biodiversity in the area so that we can see how things change and grow over time. The AI will be able to identify species that are in the area and document them to see how the species list changes over time. This will help us monitor the reef restoration that comes from our homes over time.
We want to do things like planting corals and 3D printing coral habitats so that we can jumpstart the growth of the reef. The Biodiversity AI will help us monitor that so that we can see what works and what doesn’t. The first step to getting this system up and running is finding a location to deploy the first camera. Connor took us along on his journey to find the perfect spot in the video below.
He is looking for specific things in the location, which we are calling “Incubator Reef” so that we can make sure to deploy the camera in an effective spot. This will be near the location where we deploy the first Pod so Connor took a swim out near the anchors that we have already dropped to see what he could find.
The criteria for this spot were very important so he looked for a place that is near the Pod, receives strong sunlight, is protected, has consistent visibility, an area where we can plant more corals for restoration, and has a sandy bottom between the reef so that the seafloor isn’t damaged when we deploy the anchor for the camera. We also need a place for our partner PanaSea to place a sea cucumber pen and a safe environment for consumers to explore.
Connor found the perfect place that meets all of the requirements and we are excited to get this project rolling with another one of our partners, Reef2Reef who is working with us on the 3D printed coral project. We want to get this camera in the water so that we can start documenting the current marine life that is living in this area. This will give us the baseline to see how our restoration efforts are improving the area.
If you are interested, you can read more about the Biodiversity AI project in the Ocean Builders Wiki
