Ocean Technology Home

Project Description

Ever wonder what life exists in the ocean that we haven’t seen yet?  Maybe it’s because we are too bright, too noisy, and just plain too scary!   Conceived by Dr. Edith Widder, now with the Ocean Research & Conservation Association, the Eye In the Sea (EITS) is an autonomous video observatory, designed to make unobtrusive recordings of deep-sea life.  This project is funded by the National Science Foundation.

Intellectual Merit

The EITS system does what no other method of deep sea exploration, such as using divers, submersibles, ROVs, can do … it blends in.  Using lights that are in the far-red part of the visible spectrum, where deep-sea animals can’t see, and quiet sensors and recorders, the Eye In The Sea sits motionless on the bottom for days on end, watching the world around it, without scaring away what we hope to see. 

EITS can also conduct experiments, using an optical lure called an Electronic Jellyfish, which mimics deep sea bioluminescent displays, both attractive and repulsive.  Since its development at HBOI in 2004, EITS has recorded hundreds of hours of footage and data.  It’s captured never before seen animal behavior, spontaneous bioluminescence, and even what appears to be a new species… a 6ft. squid that is so new to science, it has yet to be placed into a Family.

The newest version of EITS is a moored instrument that will be connected to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute’s cabled observatory, MARS, 1000m deep in the bottom of Monterey Bay.  This EITS has a myriad of new sensors and can be controlled from virtually anywhere via an Internet connection, allowing scientists and educators to have real-time access to the deep sea.

Broader Impacts

The EITS systems expose the deep sea to scientists as never before, helping us understand more about this unknown realm.  The new, internet-based MEITS system also promises to bring these observations and discoveries to students and teachers alike, fostering greater fascination and interest in understanding and protecting our oceans within the next generation.  For more information, check out the NOAA Ocean Exploration EITS website.