a few years ago I had this big Epiphany how do we shift from just something
how do we shift from just something
how do we shift from just something we’re building together to all of these
we’re building together to all of these
we’re building together to all of these ways that we could be exploring together
ways that we could be exploring together
ways that we could be exploring together for building the largest ocean
for building the largest ocean
for building the largest ocean observation network in the world and
observation network in the world and
observation network in the world and we’re doing it with other people
we’re doing it with other people
we’re doing it with other people it’s powered by citizen ISM I’m gonna
it’s powered by citizen ISM I’m gonna
it’s powered by citizen ISM I’m gonna start my story four years ago I met this
start my story four years ago I met this
start my story four years ago I met this amazing person named Eric Stackpole and
amazing person named Eric Stackpole and
amazing person named Eric Stackpole and he told me this wonderful story about
he told me this wonderful story about
he told me this wonderful story about this underwater cave that was filled
this underwater cave that was filled
this underwater cave that was filled with gold supposedly and he told this
with gold supposedly and he told this
with gold supposedly and he told this whole story of treasure hunters who had
whole story of treasure hunters who had
whole story of treasure hunters who had tried to find it and then he showed me
tried to find it and then he showed me
tried to find it and then he showed me this little underwater robot that he was
this little underwater robot that he was
this little underwater robot that he was trying to build to explore him it’s
trying to build to explore him it’s
trying to build to explore him it’s called an ROV a remotely operated
called an ROV a remotely operated
called an ROV a remotely operated vehicle and how it works as it goes down
vehicle and how it works as it goes down
vehicle and how it works as it goes down underneath the surface it’s got a camera
underneath the surface it’s got a camera
underneath the surface it’s got a camera it sends live video of a thin tether to
it sends live video of a thin tether to
it sends live video of a thin tether to the operator on the surface who can see
the operator on the surface who can see
the operator on the surface who can see what it’s seeing and driving I was
what it’s seeing and driving I was
what it’s seeing and driving I was captivated by Eric’s story we didn’t
captivated by Eric’s story we didn’t
captivated by Eric’s story we didn’t have any money to buy one of these our
have any money to buy one of these our
have any money to buy one of these our Ovie’s ourselves and unfortunately we
Ovie’s ourselves and unfortunately we
Ovie’s ourselves and unfortunately we also didn’t know how to build one
also didn’t know how to build one
also didn’t know how to build one ourselves we had an early prototype but
ourselves we had an early prototype but
ourselves we had an early prototype but it didn’t work so we did what anybody
it didn’t work so we did what anybody
it didn’t work so we did what anybody would do in our position we asked the
would do in our position we asked the
would do in our position we asked the internet for help we created a website
internet for help we created a website
internet for help we created a website called open ROV comm and we started
called open ROV comm and we started
called open ROV comm and we started asking people to critique our designs
asking people to critique our designs
asking people to critique our designs and help us improve it at first it was
and help us improve it at first it was
and help us improve it at first it was just me and Eric asking questions to
just me and Eric asking questions to
just me and Eric asking questions to each other about buoyancy and and basic
each other about buoyancy and and basic
each other about buoyancy and and basic engineering and slowly people began to
engineering and slowly people began to
engineering and slowly people began to add feedback and give us advice I think
add feedback and give us advice I think
add feedback and give us advice I think they just took pity on us but eventually
they just took pity on us but eventually
they just took pity on us but eventually we got to the point where the robot was
we got to the point where the robot was
we got to the point where the robot was good enough to take to the cave so we
good enough to take to the cave so we
good enough to take to the cave so we got our friends together we mounted a
got our friends together we mounted a
got our friends together we mounted a little expedition and we sent the robot
little expedition and we sent the robot
little expedition and we sent the robot into the back of the cave and it went
into the back of the cave and it went
into the back of the cave and it went down down and we found millions of
down down and we found millions of
down down and we found millions of dollars of gold actually we didn’t
we didn’t find anything but we learned a
we didn’t find anything but we learned a lot and that was the important thing and
lot and that was the important thing and
lot and that was the important thing and one of the important things we learned
one of the important things we learned
one of the important things we learned was that this low-cost
was that this low-cost
was that this low-cost underwater robot kit was something that
underwater robot kit was something that
underwater robot kit was something that other people wanted and so we decided to
other people wanted and so we decided to
other people wanted and so we decided to put it on Kickstarter and we raised a
put it on Kickstarter and we raised a
put it on Kickstarter and we raised a hundred thousand dollars this was back
hundred thousand dollars this was back
hundred thousand dollars this was back in 2012 and that was a lot of money on
in 2012 and that was a lot of money on
in 2012 and that was a lot of money on Kickstarter and it was certainly more
Kickstarter and it was certainly more
Kickstarter and it was certainly more than we expected and it caused us to
than we expected and it caused us to
than we expected and it caused us to really quickly outgrow our garage
really quickly outgrow our garage
really quickly outgrow our garage operation I remember the day when the
operation I remember the day when the
operation I remember the day when the boxes showed up and I was thinking oh my
boxes showed up and I was thinking oh my
boxes showed up and I was thinking oh my gosh but we got him together and we got
gosh but we got him together and we got
gosh but we got him together and we got him shipped out in over the past three
him shipped out in over the past three
him shipped out in over the past three years we’ve shipped thousands of these
years we’ve shipped thousands of these
years we’ve shipped thousands of these things to every corner of the globe
things to every corner of the globe
things to every corner of the globe they’ve gone to the bottom of the earth
they’ve gone to the bottom of the earth
they’ve gone to the bottom of the earth and Antarctica they’ve gone to the top
and Antarctica they’ve gone to the top
and Antarctica they’ve gone to the top of the earth I got this photo last week
of the earth I got this photo last week
of the earth I got this photo last week from Explorer who is studying glacial
from Explorer who is studying glacial
from Explorer who is studying glacial lakes in the Himalayas these are schools
lakes in the Himalayas these are schools
lakes in the Himalayas these are schools in Auckland these are communities in
in Auckland these are communities in
in Auckland these are communities in Papua New Guinea we have people who are
Papua New Guinea we have people who are
Papua New Guinea we have people who are discovering glass ponds reefs in British
discovering glass ponds reefs in British
discovering glass ponds reefs in British Columbia we have people who are creating
Columbia we have people who are creating
Columbia we have people who are creating 3d visualizations of habitat for
3d visualizations of habitat for
3d visualizations of habitat for Caribbean monk seals I mean the
Caribbean monk seals I mean the
Caribbean monk seals I mean the community just continues to surprise us
community just continues to surprise us
community just continues to surprise us this was from last week and we were up
this was from last week and we were up
this was from last week and we were up at Lake Tahoe we found a shipwreck got
at Lake Tahoe we found a shipwreck got
at Lake Tahoe we found a shipwreck got 120 meters and we were streaming it all
120 meters and we were streaming it all
120 meters and we were streaming it all live to Facebook and Ustream and twitch
live to Facebook and Ustream and twitch
live to Facebook and Ustream and twitch TV it was pretty exciting moment for us
TV it was pretty exciting moment for us
TV it was pretty exciting moment for us last week our latest design is the
last week our latest design is the
last week our latest design is the Trident so we took all the things that
Trident so we took all the things that
Trident so we took all the things that we’ve learned over the past three years
we’ve learned over the past three years
we’ve learned over the past three years and we put that into a new design for
and we put that into a new design for
and we put that into a new design for underwater robots that we think is an
underwater robots that we think is an
underwater robots that we think is an evolutionary step forward for low-cost
evolutionary step forward for low-cost
evolutionary step forward for low-cost underwater drones this thing is fast
underwater drones this thing is fast
underwater drones this thing is fast it flies like a fighter jet but it’s
it flies like a fighter jet but it’s
it flies like a fighter jet but it’s also super maneuverable and still costs
also super maneuverable and still costs
also super maneuverable and still costs less than $1,500 so other people wanted
less than $1,500 so other people wanted
less than $1,500 so other people wanted this too and so we raised eight hundred
this too and so we raised eight hundred
this too and so we raised eight hundred and ten thousand for this on Kickstarter
and ten thousand for this on Kickstarter
and ten thousand for this on Kickstarter last October and we’re preparing to ship
last October and we’re preparing to ship
last October and we’re preparing to ship it in the fall of this year so we’re
it in the fall of this year so we’re
it in the fall of this year so we’re really excited about that I think this
really excited about that I think this
really excited about that I think this is pretty amazing in just a few years
is pretty amazing in just a few years
is pretty amazing in just a few years two guys in a garage have turned into a
two guys in a garage have turned into a
two guys in a garage have turned into a global community of ocean explorers
global community of ocean explorers
global community of ocean explorers we’re building the largest ocean
we’re building the largest ocean
we’re building the largest ocean observation network in the world and
observation network in the world and
observation network in the world and we’re doing it with other people
we’re doing it with other people
we’re doing it with other people it’s powered by citizens this is Laura
it’s powered by citizens this is Laura
it’s powered by citizens this is Laura James she was one of the first people to
James she was one of the first people to
James she was one of the first people to notice that sea stars were dying around
notice that sea stars were dying around
notice that sea stars were dying around the Puget Sound and she notify
the Puget Sound and she notify
the Puget Sound and she notify scientists and they confirm that it was
scientists and they confirm that it was
scientists and they confirm that it was part of this widespread die-off that was
part of this widespread die-off that was
part of this widespread die-off that was going on around the Pacific coast called
going on around the Pacific coast called
going on around the Pacific coast called sea star wasting syndrome they didn’t
sea star wasting syndrome they didn’t
sea star wasting syndrome they didn’t know what was causing it and laura was
know what was causing it and laura was
know what was causing it and laura was not content with that answer so she
not content with that answer so she
not content with that answer so she started a citizen science project to get
started a citizen science project to get
started a citizen science project to get people to notice and contribute data
people to notice and contribute data
people to notice and contribute data that data was then part of the Peter
that data was then part of the Peter
that data was then part of the Peter amantes work at UC Santa Cruz and they
amantes work at UC Santa Cruz and they
amantes work at UC Santa Cruz and they did this amazing PBS story about Laura
did this amazing PBS story about Laura
did this amazing PBS story about Laura and her citizen science project and all
and her citizen science project and all
and her citizen science project and all the people that are contributing and a
the people that are contributing and a
the people that are contributing and a congressman saw that and decided to
congressman saw that and decided to
congressman saw that and decided to introduce the emergency marine disease
introduce the emergency marine disease
introduce the emergency marine disease act and so there’s this bill in Congress
act and so there’s this bill in Congress
act and so there’s this bill in Congress right now you can call and help push it
right now you can call and help push it
right now you can call and help push it along but I love this story because this
along but I love this story because this
along but I love this story because this is it you know this isn’t just a
is it you know this isn’t just a
is it you know this isn’t just a headline that sea stars are dying this
headline that sea stars are dying this
headline that sea stars are dying this is people who are getting involved this
is people who are getting involved this
is people who are getting involved this is Congress people who are taking notice
is Congress people who are taking notice
is Congress people who are taking notice and action is happening Laura and her
and action is happening Laura and her
and action is happening Laura and her team are still out there now they’re
team are still out there now they’re
team are still out there now they’re monitoring stormwater runoff to see if
monitoring stormwater runoff to see if
monitoring stormwater runoff to see if that’s the problem they’re looking at
that’s the problem they’re looking at
that’s the problem they’re looking at urgence to see if the virus is spreading
urgence to see if the virus is spreading
urgence to see if the virus is spreading it’s the scientific method actually
it’s the scientific method actually
it’s the scientific method actually becomes the message there’s this whole
becomes the message there’s this whole
becomes the message there’s this whole architecture for participation that’s a
architecture for participation that’s a
architecture for participation that’s a big deal so I don’t want to go into the
big deal so I don’t want to go into the
big deal so I don’t want to go into the details of what’s going on in Flint it’s
details of what’s going on in Flint it’s
details of what’s going on in Flint it’s an ongoing disaster and all of you know
an ongoing disaster and all of you know
an ongoing disaster and all of you know about it but I do want to point out that
about it but I do want to point out that
about it but I do want to point out that that too was a citizen science project
that too was a citizen science project
that too was a citizen science project professor Mark Edwards at Virginia Tech
professor Mark Edwards at Virginia Tech
professor Mark Edwards at Virginia Tech was sick of the institutional failure so
was sick of the institutional failure so
was sick of the institutional failure so he gave out 300 kits to the community
he gave out 300 kits to the community
he gave out 300 kits to the community and said you guys need to start testing
and said you guys need to start testing
and said you guys need to start testing your water and take action and they did
your water and take action and they did
your water and take action and they did it was a fantastic piece and wired my
it was a fantastic piece and wired my
it was a fantastic piece and wired my favorite paragraph was towards the end
favorite paragraph was towards the end
favorite paragraph was towards the end it said this kind of citizen powered
it said this kind of citizen powered
it said this kind of citizen powered apocalypse averting science is spreading
apocalypse averting science is spreading
apocalypse averting science is spreading anyway not to list a whole host of
anyway not to list a whole host of
anyway not to list a whole host of citizen science projects that we’re
citizen science projects that we’re
citizen science projects that we’re doing similar work at the end of that
doing similar work at the end of that
doing similar work at the end of that paragraph I love this line I’m going to
paragraph I love this line I’m going to
paragraph I love this line I’m going to read it
read it
read it researchers are learning that there’s a
researchers are learning that there’s a
researchers are learning that there’s a difference between publishing results
difference between publishing results
difference between publishing results and actually you know getting
and so that’s where we are that’s what’s
and so that’s where we are that’s what’s going on the tools are getting really
going on the tools are getting really
going on the tools are getting really good really fast all of the
good really fast all of the
good really fast all of the microcontrollers and sensors and cameras
microcontrollers and sensors and cameras
microcontrollers and sensors and cameras and GPS are now building blocks that
and GPS are now building blocks that
and GPS are now building blocks that makers can use and all of these maker
makers can use and all of these maker
makers can use and all of these maker spaces are popping up all over the world
spaces are popping up all over the world
spaces are popping up all over the world in classrooms and museums and libraries
in classrooms and museums and libraries
in classrooms and museums and libraries and in just in neighborhoods it’s
and in just in neighborhoods it’s
and in just in neighborhoods it’s profound and people have access to
profound and people have access to
profound and people have access to powerful digital fabrication tools like
powerful digital fabrication tools like
powerful digital fabrication tools like laser cutters and 3d printers it would
laser cutters and 3d printers it would
laser cutters and 3d printers it would been impossible for Eric to do what we
been impossible for Eric to do what we
been impossible for Eric to do what we did just five years ago we’re really at
did just five years ago we’re really at
did just five years ago we’re really at the very beginning of this this is our
the very beginning of this this is our
the very beginning of this this is our same garage this is a our roommates at
same garage this is a our roommates at
same garage this is a our roommates at the time and they had this idea to
the time and they had this idea to
the time and they had this idea to create low-cost satellites using these
create low-cost satellites using these
create low-cost satellites using these same components and so they prototype
same components and so they prototype
same components and so they prototype this satellite in the garage and they
this satellite in the garage and they
this satellite in the garage and they have since started a company raised
have since started a company raised
have since started a company raised hundreds of millions of dollars and
hundreds of millions of dollars and
hundreds of millions of dollars and launched a constellation of hundreds of
launched a constellation of hundreds of
launched a constellation of hundreds of satellites they’re now getting an image
satellites they’re now getting an image
satellites they’re now getting an image of every location on earth every day
of every location on earth every day
of every location on earth every day it’s a big company and they’re doing
it’s a big company and they’re doing
it’s a big company and they’re doing important work this is an illegal gold
important work this is an illegal gold
important work this is an illegal gold mining operation in Peru that they found
mining operation in Peru that they found
mining operation in Peru that they found encroaching on this River it’s really
encroaching on this River it’s really
encroaching on this River it’s really extraordinary I mean this used to be the
extraordinary I mean this used to be the
extraordinary I mean this used to be the stuff of nation-states and now it’s our
stuff of nation-states and now it’s our
stuff of nation-states and now it’s our remains starting this in the garage
remains starting this in the garage
remains starting this in the garage it’s extraordinary this is not just a
it’s extraordinary this is not just a
it’s extraordinary this is not just a Silicon Valley store either these are
Silicon Valley store either these are
Silicon Valley store either these are DIY drones being used in Indonesia for
DIY drones being used in Indonesia for
DIY drones being used in Indonesia for conservation 50 cent microscopes tens of
conservation 50 cent microscopes tens of
conservation 50 cent microscopes tens of thousands of people are exploring the
thousands of people are exploring the
thousands of people are exploring the micro cosmos creating DIY geiger
micro cosmos creating DIY geiger
micro cosmos creating DIY geiger counters to monitor the radiation after
counters to monitor the radiation after
counters to monitor the radiation after Fukushima there’s all sorts of low-cost
Fukushima there’s all sorts of low-cost
Fukushima there’s all sorts of low-cost DIY bio equipment they’re being used to
DIY bio equipment they’re being used to
DIY bio equipment they’re being used to power garage labs and community bio labs
power garage labs and community bio labs
power garage labs and community bio labs across the world the list goes on and on
across the world the list goes on and on
across the world the list goes on and on we need everyone to see themselves as
we need everyone to see themselves as
we need everyone to see themselves as explorers we need everybody to recognize
explorers we need everybody to recognize
explorers we need everybody to recognize that they have the agency to be curious
that they have the agency to be curious
that they have the agency to be curious to ask questions because I promise you
to ask questions because I promise you
to ask questions because I promise you when you give people the tools to ask
when you give people the tools to ask
when you give people the tools to ask questions they will surprise you with
questions they will surprise you with
questions they will surprise you with what they ask and with what they
what they ask and with what they
what they ask and with what they discover thank you
we’re in the northern part of the Red
we’re in the northern part of the Red Sea and the reason we’re here is we’re
Sea and the reason we’re here is we’re
Sea and the reason we’re here is we’re trying to test out our squishy robot
trying to test out our squishy robot
trying to test out our squishy robot fingers for the for the first time in a
fingers for the for the first time in a
fingers for the for the first time in a real
”
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