Scientists are working hard to explore the farthest reaches of our solar system and beyond. But in-spite of all of our reliance on our oceans, we know very little about them.
Did you know that over 95 percent of this vast, underwater realm remains unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored?
Numerous challenges and the enormous cost is involved in exploring our oceans. It is a very costly affair to power an underwater camera, it requires sending a ship to recharge its batteries. Moreover retrieving these photos is also a very challenging task.
Thanks to MIT researchers who have developed a battery-free underwater camera that wirelessly transmits its photos through the water. In place of a battery, the camera incorporates a series of transducers located around its exterior.
Powered by Sound Waves
This novel underwater camera is powered fully by sound generated by passing ships and marine life. So, when a sound wave from any source hits the transducers, they vibrate and convert that mechanical energy into electrical energy. Once enough energy produced this way is stored in a super-capacitor, it’s used to take a photo.
This camera is about 100,000 times more energy-efficient than other undersea cameras
Moreover, it could also capture color photos even in dark underwater environments. According to scientists, this device will not only help in exploring the ocean, but will also track pollution, or monitor the effects of climate change.
A paper on the research was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
