Miracles and Wonders
May 28, 2004
Little Herculesone of the expedition's remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
Photograph courtesy of Immersion
"When you dive, you begin to feel like an angel." ? Jacques Cousteau
ABOARD THE RONALD H. BROWN Dr. Robert D. Ballard, returning to the Titanic after 18 years, is thrilled about visiting the wreckage without having to leave his research ship. That's because in the last two decades, Dr. Ballard and his team of engineers have developed technology for what he calls "telepresence," the feeling among distant viewers that they are physically moving across the ocean floor.In cooperation with the Jason Foundation for Education, live, Internet2 video feeds have already been streamed from the bottom of the Black Sea, Lake Huron and other sites to students and scientists many miles away. Such instant communication allows distant experts to participate in ocean exploration. And for students, it's a thrilling educational experience.
But now, Dr. Ballard's telepresence faces its biggest test: A nationally televised show. The National Geographic Channel's Return to Titanic will share live images from the Titanic on Monday, June 7, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Dr. Ballard is excited to learn whether the cutting-edge electronics aboard the Ronald H. Brown and the exploration vehicles beneath it can touch the hearts of viewers. "Will they really believe they are there? Will the Titanic speak to them like those who actually dive to the site? Does it speak to me now, 12,000 feet [3,658 meters] above her?"
Providing live, high-definition images from the ocean floor will require an impressive chain of high-tech wonders. Gliding above the seabed will be three unmanned vehicles equipped with lights, sonar and high-definition cameras.
The first, a tow sled called Argus, takes its name from a mythological creature with 100 eyes. It flies at the end of a 2.5-mile tether connected to the surface ship. A pilot aboard the Ronald H. Brown fine-tunes Argus's movements by sending commands down its cable to operate propeller-driven thrusters.
When Argus finds something worth scrutinizing, the pilot then dispatches Little Hercules from the sled. This neutrally buoyant, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) easily moves in three-dimensional space. It remains connected to Argus by a slack tether, which relays Little Herc's video signals.
Little Herc's brother, Hercules ? also known as Big Herc ? is a much larger ROV. Initially designed for archaeological research, Big Herc gathers video images and can retrieve biological samples.
The data from these vehicles is relayed via fiber optics up to the Ronald H. Brown. There, Dr. Ballard and his team monitor the signals from the comfort of their control van. The same images are sent by uplink to a communications satellite and on to distant viewers.
In addition to the National Geographic Channel's televised event, hours of real-time images will be sent to Internet2 sites at museums, universities and other viewing areas throughout the voyage. Internet2 is an advanced version of the Internet; real-time Internet2 video from Titanic will not be available on conventional Internet connections.
(Note: nationalgeographic.com does not research or edit dispatches.)
