Archive
October 2022
32 articles
Astro in-water testing
We are back out on the Pod with Grant for a quick look at the ASTRO(Autonomous Surface Trash Recycling Operations) drone. Check out this interview with Connor about the project. The guys have it in the water and they’re breaking it in and configuring the setup for it. For the moment we are still developing…
Finalizing Solar Panel (Area 1)
In the runup to the global launch event, we decided to make some last-minute adjustments to the solar array which sits on one of the three outer spars of the floating TriPod base. Our original design had the solar panels mounted much closer together so there wasn’t much room to walk on the spar. Since…
Setting up Tenting for The Grand Opening Event
The big day is VERY quickly approaching. We have about four or five days left until the event and it is crunch time here at the factory. We have brought in some reinforcements from the local community to help get everything ready for the launch, it really is all hands on deck! The factory is…
First Day of Factory Cleanup for The Grand Opening
Something is missing from our factory today. But what could it be? “The Pod”, yes indeed! We moved it out to the open and we now have a big empty space ready for the grand opening. Well, “empty & ready” aren’t entirely true for the time being. It was an impressive operation to transport the…
Fish & Sea Life Identification
Of course, everybody knows that we are building floating homes that will allow people to live on the water, but our mission is much larger than to be a floating home company. Before everything else, our priority is to make sure that our homes have a positive impact on their environment. One of the things…
Lifting the Skylight
It took a little longer than expected to receive the finished skylight so we weren’t able to get it installed while the SeaPod was within reach of our telehandler. When we can’t get the job done with the telehandler, we have to substitute for some good old-fashioned manpower. This skylight weighs about 90kg or about…
Custom Stairs Final
Grant is back up the hill in the factory to show us the progress on the custom stairs that we are making for the EcoPod. These stairs will be a continuation of the spiral staircase that brings you from the center dock to the main floor of the EcoPod. The main entrance stairs have beautiful…
SeaPod Moving out of the factory
It’s time to get it out! The SeaPod is going to see the light of day as we are taking it out of the hangar that was hosting it during the construction stage. We have done a few heavy-lifting operations recently and we are getting used to handling difficult tasks since, as everything is literally…
Deep Water Model Progress Report
The SeaPod models that you have been seeing us work on during the last year have been designed for shallow water, no more than 25 meters(or about 80 feet) deep. These designs are mounted on the TriPod base which provides all of the buoyancy, stabilization, and structure.We have a different approach for the deep water…
Embedded NFC Demo
Ocean Builders “Nerd Team” played with a new toy to make life even more convenient in the Pods: embedded FSC technology. We love it, and so will you!Many of you are familiar with Near Field Communication (NFC), a popular wireless technology used for mobile payment systems. By allowing users to pay for items simply by…
Wazebo Assembly and center table
Appetiser, dinners and more will soon be at reach on the SeaPod’s Wazebo area as we are putting the final touch to this side of the project. We’ve been working a lot on this because we had to design everything from scratch. A gazebo isn’t a new thing, but a “Wazebo” definitely is!It is aimed…
Development work on future emergency wristwatch for the Lifeguard Drone
Development work on future emergency wristwatch for the Lifeguard DroneLiving on water is a dream of many, and it is surely one we want to share with you! However, this isn’t without risk, so we came up with a series of innovations for the Pods guests safety: the emergency wristwatch is one of them. This…
Wazebo Dinner Chairs
Here we have a look at the mold for the dinner chairs that will be on the Wazebo. The Wazebo will have a large table in the middle with bench seating around the outside that is perfect for lounging. When you want to sit at the table to eat, we will have these movable chairs…
Main Door v2
Omer is back at the manufacturing facility to check out the progress on version 2 of the main door. So far, this updated version is looking great and should solve the issues that we had with the first iteration.To start, the door is more rigid. The previous door had a lot of noise because the…
Watch Ocean Builders on Toy O No Toy, the Panamanian version of Shark Tank
Ocean Builder’s CEO Grant Romundt on the stage of Toy O No Toy for the Panamanian version of Shark Tank The momentum keeps progressing very well for Ocean Builders following the SeaPod’s inaugural launch as Grant, our CEO, has been invited on the set of Panama TV’s most exciting show “Toy O No Toy”. Toy…
Woodworking Production
Welcome to our woodworking department, where our talented team is doing an excellent job in putting together cabinetry. “Measure twice, cut once” is definitely our motto here because we have no time to spare in redoing something that could have been done well the first time. The team is working on bedroom cabinets and walk-in…
Installing the Wazebo
Grant got a pretty cool surprise today when he looked out of the window of his office and saw the Wazebo on its way to be installed on the floating TriPod base! The crew used the telehandler to pick up the main section of the Wazebo to take it to the water so that it…
Kitchen Renders coming to life
Do you know what the most important part of a home is? Yes, the bedroom is of significant importance, you’re right. But we are referring to the kitchen. This is where any home comes to life, and speaking about “coming to life”, Grant had the great feeling of seeing 3D rendering becoming a reality! After…
Wazebo Days from Completion
Every time we put together something that we designed and built piece by piece, we feel very happy. Today’s feeling is associated with the Wazebo, which is near completion.The platform that is to be installed on one of the spars is being assembled with the seats and table that will become one of the Pod’s…
Main Door Automation
The SeaPod is packed with home automation technology that will make life on the water more convenient. We automated every aspect that we could and the lock on the “front” door is no different.The front door can be easily locked or unlocked from your home automation app on the tablets inside the home as well…
Installing LED lightstrips, Speakers, and more
Every home needs to have the proper lighting. When the sun comes down, the natural light generously provided by the many windows will need an alternative source, and that will be a network of LED light strips. Lighting is of critical importance in every home. We tend to forget it until the fuse goes off…
Main Door Installation
The SeaPod is a very futuristic-looking house, and it’s of course full of amazing technology, but there is still something old fashioned still required: a door. Well, our door is not exactly that old-fashion because of a few things. First, it’s custom-made and curved to fit the center dock entrance that we recently finished. Second,…
Patio Railing and Views
Having a great view is what every homeowner is dreaming of, and there definitely won’t be any shortage of this when living on the SeaPod! Enough of imaging why we are doing this, let us show you what will be your backyard view! Obviously, the Pod’s localization will be of tremendous importance, but we are…
Loading Appliances into the SeaPod
Today, Grant is supervising the loading of the Pods appliances. That’s right, when it comes to that stage of the project, something feels like the end is near! But it’s going to be a major operation. If you lived in an apartment, chances are that you bought appliances for you to have all the convenience…
Company Celebration for the Launching of the SeaPod
A few days ago, it was “Party Time” for the Ocean Builders’ team as we were celebrating the launch of the SeaPod. I tell you what, it was needed and well deserved! We have been working so hard in the last few years, and very, very intensively in the past weeks, that we had to…
SeaPod Flagship Inner Shell Finishing
Welcome inside our Seapod flagship model, as we are finishing work on the interior of the shell itself. We are really into a “might fit” time right now because there will be differences between this prototype and the production model. We are live from the Pod’s living room where we are putting the last touch…
Specialized Underwater Camera Set Up with Fathom Ocean
Early August, we were excited to announce our partnership with Fathom Ocean. Their expertise in marine research is worldwide known, and Ocean Builders is blessed to work with such experts in this field.Together, we aim to take marine research to the next level. Between our passion for discovery and our desire to create eco-friendly tourism…
Rope Bridge Assembly
Ocean’s lifestyle is often a synonym of bridges. Ocean Builders’ SeaPods are no strangers to this as we will have 3 bridges connecting different areas of the Pod’s TriPod base.Today, we are installing the first rope bridge to be used to access the solar array mounted on the outriggers of the floating base. This is…
Dock Flashing Production
The entrance of any home is often an undervalued area. But when you think about it, you use it everyday, and it’s the first thing your guests will see when visiting you. That’s why we are working on making the center dock pretty and safe.We already made a lot of progress in this area when…
Skylight Cap Foundation
Grant is back at the factory to show us the foundation for the skylight cap that will be above the shower in the SeaPod. This will be the outer rim and the actual hatch will fit inside this circle.We have found a way to make this piece into a multi-use part that we can utilize…
Finishing the Connection from the TriPod to the SeaPod
The actual living area of the Pod is lowered onto the center spar where it will be permanently mounted. Since the center spar needs to be smaller than the hole for it to fit, there is a small gap between the spar and the Pod that we don’t want to leave open. One option is…
Infrared Gesture AI
Omer Larrañaga Software, Technology
We are back with Omer for an updated look at the progress that he has been making on our Gesture AI technology. Gesture AI allows you to control different things in your home by simply waving your hand or making certain gestures that the system will recognize.This sounds crazy, but the video below will help…