Using a Fully Digital Pan-tilt-zoom System for Situational Awareness in Ocean Observatories

Enabling situational awareness by replacing mechanical pan-tilt-zoom camera systems with a fully digital system in ocean observatories. Ocean observatories operate pan-tilt systems that are equipped with cameras and lights to view surroundings, in real time, continuously for months. The observatories collect the scientific data and provide it to researchers located anywhere in the world. However, the pan-tilt that is used in an observatory is generally the first piece of equipment to degrade and cease operation, resulting in downtime and costly repairs. This paper explores how a fully operational digital system, that has no moving parts, is a more reliable and cost-efficient alternative to the current method. Typically, the field of view for a pan-tilt is divided into a 180 degree work scene. In order to view a location sufficiently, interaction from a dedicated science team is required to control the pan-tilt. An abundance of motion is not desirable when operating pan-tilts as movements are directly related to system wear and tear. Fatigue on cables, rotary seals and the lifespan of motors and camera lenses are the biggest issues. Conventional single-perspective 360 degree cameras use an innovation that is relatively new over the last five years called parabolic mirror design that involves image processing algorithms and high-bandwidth video. Common underwater HD video interfaces are 3G-SDI, 6G-SDI and Ethernet with Ethernet being the popular interface for an observatory. SubC cameras are designed with 4K and digital stills built in. By enabling 4K and digital stills inside a camera system, ultra-wide high-quality footage can be recovered while using common interfaces and at the same time not necessitating a high-bandwidth connection. A more reliable method would be to replace the mechanical system with a digital system that comes complete with pan-tilt-zoom software and is combined with a high-resolution sensor. Included are high-efficiency, high-output LEDs (145 lumens/watt) that will automatically be controlled by each camera on each axis, therefore reducing interface and cabling complexity. To limit the amount of image distortion and decrease the corrective image processing required, the optics for this application must be low-distortion and utilize the full sensor in order to maximize resolution and bandwidth. With this in mind, SubC designed UltraOptics® to meet these requirements and create an enhanced awareness of surroundings. In comparison, a digital pan-tilt and zoom system is an economical alternative. The overall annual cost of repairs, general and pan-tilt maintenance for a typical camera system is more costly than a digital system that would merely require regular upkeep, resulting in very-low downtime. Combining multiple cameras will increase the potential of obtaining a 360 degree view of the area of interest with each camera having 8 megapixels at 30 frames per second. Implementing a fully digital system such as this will eliminate the need for any direct interaction from a science team. Because of this, general public audiences could be given the opportunity to participate in the scientific exploration by digitally pan-tilt and zooming around the immediate location and obtaining near real-time data. In conclusion, the combination of the above mentioned features will increase the likelihood of uncovering more discoveries and increasing system deploy times.