Most regular Tahina followers are aware of the very cool VideoRay ROV (a remote-controlled underwater video camera) we have on board in part due to our partnership with the manufacturer VideoRay.
Back in 2008, when I went to see a VideoRay during a user conference in Key West, I also met the founder and president of KCF Technologies – Jeremy Frank. He had just announced a new product called a Video Ray Smart Tether which has very cool technology. It uses devices planted along a tether for the video ray to provide real-time 3D positioning information. This means you can drive the VideoRay and get a 3D navigational picture of where the ROV is going. He has even been able to visualize 3D tracks in Google Earth!
Thanks to a new partnership with KCF Technologies, Tahina will get to test the system while we are doing some unique dive sights in the south Pacific ocean! When Karen went back to the US a couple of weeks ago, she brought a Smart Tether back with her, and we hope to put it to good use! We really appreciate the support from KCF Technologies, and we hope more people will be made aware of the utility of both VideoRay ROVs and the Smart Tether for other interesting applications!
