SeaViewer Cameras, Inc. manufactures a line of self-housed underwater cameras that stream their video signal to the surface for viewing in real-time. They are considered best of breed by sportfishermen, commercial and industrial users.

SeaViewer cameras are affordable but offer very powerful features which was the main reasons why SeaViewer cameras were selected by movie professionals for the filming of Discovery Channels Shark Week underwater videography series. Miramax and Universal have all come knocking and in the ocean epic “Master and commander” producers selected SeaViewer cameras to help with the safety of the divers and actors for the underwater scenes.

The SeaViewer customer base ranges from Scuba Divers, Government Agencies, Search and Recovery, ESPN, FOX studios, Discovery Channel, Universities, Power Generated Facilities, Swim Teams and Fishing.

SeaViewer’s newest line of “Surface Consoles” has become extremely popular since they feature Display, Recording, and Power accessories hand-picked by the Customer, including the new “Sea-Clear” based on LYYN technology.

For more information, contact the company directly on their website.

SeaViewer marketing video:

sea viewer from jimmy on Vimeo.

Underwater surveillance technology

Marine camera, integrated software offer improved underwater surveillance, security

Published 3 June 2010

Underwater surveillance is one of the more difficult tasks for security personnel; darkness, humidity, murkiness, low temperature all make it difficult for camera equipment to capture clear images of elements in water; a new marine camera with integrated software offers a solution.

…

The innovative Lyyn Visual Enhancement Technology and integrated underwater cameras allow harbor and marine security to monitor underwater activity at harbor entrances, near oil rigs, and secure marine locations. It may be argued that had the U.S. Navy possessed such technology at Pearl Harbor, it would have been relatively easy to identify the infiltrating Japanese submarines sooner and sound a general alarm in time to scramble US defenses.

…

Robert Aston, the president and founder of Santa Cruz, California-based Ocean Presence Technologies (OPT), incorporated the Lyyn technology into his company’s family of underwater cameras to create enhanced monitoring devices for tropical sea life.
An avid conservationist, Aston has been on a mission to create the MantaCam — a real-time video transmission of the movements of the manta ray, a large, bat-like fish often found in tropical waters. Aston coupled his knowledge of computer hardware and software design with his interest in underwater photography and scuba diving, to create the MantaCam, and a family of continuous underwater video monitoring systems that can be controlled over the Internet.

…

“Environmentalists now have the ideal equipment needed to watch the evolution of the world’s oceans and seaways and educate the general public and government officials on the critical need to protect these precious resources,” Aston concluded.

Read the full article here

Explorers finding a shipwreck with the digital depth sounder before sending the ROV down to the wreck.

The VideoRay ROV and tether awaiting launch

‘’Welcome to the General Butler. Please dive safely. Don’t penetrate the wreck!’’

”Explore Lake Champlain’s amazing shipwrecks without getting wet!

Join Lake Champlain Shipwrecks for a unique adventure. First we cruise to the wreck site, then, while sitting above the wreck, we’ll tell you the story behind it. Next, we deploy our ROV (remotely operated vehicle) and you will be able to see the wreck on screens onboard the boat as the ROV explores the depths. This is a fun experience for everyone, regardless of age.”

Rachael Miller is running a successful tour operation in Lake Champlain, Vermont, USA. Though only the sixth largest of America’s lakes, Lake Champlain’s distinction is what it contains: arguably the nation’s largest collection of historic wooden shipwrecks.

It all started back in 1986 when New York and Vermont created the Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve System to protect its fragile wrecks from anchor damage and theft, while providing access to divers. The same year, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum set up shop at Basin Harbor and went to work collecting, documenting, and preserving what artifacts it could salvage.

A decade later, they began a 10-year sonar scan of the lake’s floor, uncovering at least 70 previously unknown wrecks. Nine are open to divers, three of them in Burlington Bay. But the sites were inaccessible to non divers.

So in 2005, husband-and-wife sailing instructors Rachael Miller and James Line expanded their Burlington boating and snow kiting business to include shipwreck tours using a VideoRay ROV. This was the second company worldwide, and the first in North America, to offer this great opportunity to the public to connect with their underwater world, and for this they received the VideoRay Best Mission Award at the VideoRay International Partners Conference in Key Largo, Florida, in November 2007.

And now (spring of 2008) they have added a new tool to give their clients an even more exciting experience, the LYYN T38. “It’s really fantastic!”, says Rachel. “Visibility in Lake Champlain can be really difficult. There are even days when the turbidity’s so bad we have to cancel the tours. Now my clients can see what’s down there and get full value for money, whatever the visibility conditions.”

The following four images are from the Burlington Bay Horse Ferry that lies shattered near Lone Rock Point. This was a horse-powered ferry (rather than one that carried horses), propelled by two horses who walked on the top of the turntable from holes in the deck on each side of the boat, like a treadmill. You can still see the gear shaft coming off of the turntable that changed the horizontal circular motion into the vertical paddle-wheel motion.

The Burlington Bay Horse Ferry

The framing and turntable

Close-up of the port side

Close up of the paddle wheel

Read the full Case Story: Shipwrecktour.com or visit www.shipwrecktour.com.

The steel car ferry Milwaukee sank in a Lake Michigan gale with all hands on October 22, 1929. At the time of it’s sinking it was a 338 foot long ferry carrying train cars and other goods across Lake Michigan. That trip is approximately 85 miles and is still done today. The sinking of the Milwaukee occurred in the early evenings hours following the ships departure into a Fall storm from the city of Milwaukee. The entire crew of 52 was lost when the boat sank only a few miles from its starting point.

In July 2008, VideoRay ROVs were used to explore this shipwreck which lies in 90 to 125 feet of water off the Wisconsin shoreline. The ROVs were able to explore the Milwaukee from end to end as well as entering several compartments.

Dr. Mark Gleason, Chief Marine Scientist and ROV expert, Pier Wisconsin-Discovery World Museum

About Discovery World Museum at Pier Wisconsin (read more on their web site)

Discovery World’s hands-on exhibits, live shows, interactive labs, S/V Denis Sullivan schooner, and aquarium combine innovation, technology, exploration, environment and fun.  Located on the beautiful Lake Michigan, Discovery World guests can enjoy a public park, amphitheater, café, dock and event facilities.

This venue serves many purposes and audiences. With many ways to customize your visit, you can entertain any group of guests.  There are interactive exhibits and hands-on lab activities for students.  Meeting spaces with technology and catering services are available for corporations and conference planners.  Guided tours are also available for large groups.

Craig Thorngren, Owner of Submerged Recovery & Inspection Services and Retired United States Coast Guard Chief

Retired United States Coast Guard Chief (22 years) and long time VideoRay user Craig Thorngren, who now owns and operates Submerged Recovery & Inspection Services, is a true power user of ROV’s and LYYN visibility enhancement. Craig has piloted ROV’s in some of the most challenging underwater environments with great success for his clients.

An experienced Coast Guard

Several of his postings included New York City, Miami and Seattle.  In Seattle, he was deployed with MSST Seattle (91101) in response to Hurricanes Katrina & Rita, the grounding of the cruise ship Empress of the North along with many other military out load’s in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Upon his retirement he was BlueView Technologies Field Operations and Training Supervisor.

An experienced ROV pilot and popular VideoRay trainer

Craig has more than 1500 hours piloting experience in the following operations:

• Wreck Penetration Bridge Inspections
• Hull Inspections Evidence Documentation & Recovery
• Hydro Dam Inspections Water Tank Inspections
• Port Security Inspections Archaeological Recoveries
• Deep Operations High Current Operations
• Recovery Operations

Some clips that have been lyynified afterwards (post processed) with a LYYN T38:

[See post to watch Flash video]

The search was conducted using a camera mounted on a pole deployed from a 20’ vessel. Arc search patterns were executed using the boat motor to move the vessel left and right, while the bow of the vessel was fixed to a post on shore.

The LYYN T38 was connected between the pole camera and a DVR. A second monitor was plugged into the DVR so that Sam could see in the highly turbid water.

Broward County Sheriff's Office divers

Footage by:

Deputy Sam Lapinsky
Broward County Sheriff’s Office
Marine Unit/Dive Rescue Team

Sam also runs his own company: Innovative Dive Equipment Inc.

For more information please visit the Sidus Solutions web site.

VideoRay LLC, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, USA, makes the world’s smallest underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle, or ROV. The submersible weighs less than 4 kilos before accessories are added. VideoRay is also the world’s largest ROV manufacturer by number of vehicles, with more than 1100 Micro-ROV units sold.

VideoRay has several different units that are depth rated from 250 feet (76 m) up to 1,000 feet (300 m) and are utilized in a variety of underwater applications including; aquaculture & fishery operations, forensics & crime scene investigation, search & rescue missions, homeland & port security operations, recreational yachting, sportfishing & underwater marine life observation, shipwreck & treasure exploration, science, research and marine habitat mapping, inland dam inspection, offshore oil & gas rig observation, and numerous other underwater observation applications.

The ROV is operated from a suitcase sized control panel and provides crisp video footage to the user. Driving the VideoRay is similar to operating a video game. A specially trained ROV pilot is not needed. (In fact, kids raised on video games routinely put adults to shame piloting VideoRay.)

Following the successful introduction of LYYN T38™ to VideoRay users, there are many witnesses to its usefulness. However, since one of the strong points of the VideoRay ROV is its portability it introduced extra equipment necessary to carry around. “We have had several requests from users to have LYYN™ inside our products, and since LYYNs recent introduction the LYYN Hawk Board™ I am happy to say that this is now available.” says Chris Gibson, VideoRay Director Sales & Marketing.

VideoRay offers LYYN Hawk Boards™ integrated into the console in the standard configuration of the high-end model Pro4, as well as an option in earlier models. VideoRay dealers also offers LYYN T38™ to new and existing customers.

Please visit the Videoray web site for more information.

Contact: Harold E. Bearden [mail]
Tel (561) 308-7067

For more information please visit their web site

Contact: Brock Rosenthall [mail]
Tel (858) 454-4044
Fax (858) 454-5775

web site