NORTON META TAG

Showing posts with label oceans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oceans. Show all posts

07 October 2012

Robotboat Mark VI (A KICKSTARTER CROWDFUNDING PROJECT) DEADLINE 12OKT12 UPDATE 9OKT12

JUST AN UPDATE ON THIS PROJECT, they now have $70074.00 in pledges since I first posted this on 7OKT, just $9026.00 away from meeting their goal of $80000.00 by 2PM / 1400 Friday 12OKT12. They have to meet that goal or they get nothing. WAY TO GO EVERYONE WHO HAS PLEDGED!!! If you didn't, will ya consider it? If you can't will you pass this on to others who might? Think about it!!!!
THIS is another project on KickStarter I decided to back because it is way cool, it will be good for the American economy and very good for the world's oceans. When I pledged they had raised just over $30000.00 (of a goal of $80000.00), they are now at $61654.00 and have till 12OKT12 or they get nothing. They are so close! Take a look at the project here http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robotboat/robotboat-mark-vi 
and check out the funding update below sent to supporters by Eamon Carrig, on of the projects team members a few days ago. IF you can please make a pledge, and please send this out to family and friends so they can consider supporting the project. Peace to all!
From Eamon...
There are an awful lot of really talented, passionate, and capable people working on trying to figure out how we can better understand and be better stewards of our agua.  One of the happiest surprises of the campaign so far has been connecting with some of them.  It's a good thing too, because there is not a lot of time to waste.  As we round out the 20th day of our campaign, we are proud to be able to say that we've made it just about halfway to our financial goal.  We are also very proud that so many people have thought this cause worthy of their time and precious resources (nearly 1000 backers!).  We are especially proud of the people who have waded out into the new and exciting world of crowdfunding for the first time to support Robotboat.  At the risk of being pedantic (you seasoned backers will have to bear with us), we thought it prudent to point out an important feature of this effort, and indeed all Kickstarter campaigns: if we fall short of our goal, by even one dollar, it will all be for naught. Kickstarter is all-or-nothing in that regard.  We feel as though this project is both important and urgent in the context of global water stewardship.  And, through the looking glass, your support has become both important and urgent to the project.  We have only ten days left and quite a few dollars to go.  If you haven't already (we are thrilled and humbled by the fact that so many of you have) would you consider sending a note/link to your friends, co-workers, relatives, neighbors, respected enemies, and anyone else you think might care or be in a position to help?  Together we can make the dream of abundant, accurate, ocean data an irrefutable reality. 

25 September 2012

HELP FINANCE ROBOTBOAT MARKVI ON KICKSTARTER BY 12OKT12!!! (I'M A BACKER!!!)

THIS is just so cool, it is local (Silver Spring, MD) and if they get this up and running they will invest in jobs and technology here in the U.S.! Check out their project page on KickStarter and pledge what you can, if you can, And share with others who may be interested. Click the link...

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robotboat/robotboat-mark-vi?ref=live 

by Eamon Carrig · You're a backer

We're building a fleet of autonomous sailing robots to study the oceans. Each boat can sail itself anywhere & send data back to shore.
  • Launched: Sep 12, 2012
  • Funding ends: Oct 12, 2012

WHAT IS THIS ANYWAY?

We're asking for your help to produce and test the ROBOTBOAT MARK VI.  Each robotboat is fully autonomous, needs no fuel, and will bring to bear myriad sensors at remote points on the surface of oceans, lakes, and rivers.  Think of it as a satellite for the seas.

WHY?

We need lots of low-cost self-propelled robots to study the health of the world's water.  Never send a person to do a buoy's job!  The real value of this technology lies at the fleet level, but given the extremely high performance required of each boat, purchasing even a few of them is simply beyond our means.  Building one boat represents a huge step towards cheap data.  Building more than one boat will allow us to test swarming algorithms, implement complex communication schemes, and take greater risks (e.g. undertake longer, more challenging missions).
Bringing this opportunity to the kickstarter community will allow us to develop this technology MUCH FASTER than we could if we have to fund it ourselves;  the more resources we can raise here, the faster we can deliver.

WHY SHOULD I CARE?

Perhaps Lilly Tomlin said it best: "I said 'Somebody should do something about that.'  Then I realized I am somebody."
No matter where you stand on issues like climate change, marine conservation, offshore energy production etc., we hope you'll agree that everyone is better served by policies and behavior based on empirical scientific evidence.  We should all care about how we manage our water resources.
We think Robotboat is the best way yet to generate information about the world's oceans.
  • More data = better ocean management
  • Fully automatic = cheap to acquire data
  • Fast = station-keep in high seas; get to points of interest quickly
  • Durable = collect longitudinal data; self-righting
  • Each boat = millions upon millions of datapoints

WHO ARE YOU?

Walt, Rob, TJ, and Eamon... Hi.
We're a professional engineering team.  Between us we hold 8 patents and have over fifty years of engineering experience.
Our principals (Walt & Rob respectively) founded these companies:
Planetary Systems Corp. and Tiger Innovations
TJ and Eamon have worked for Walt making satellite subsystems for the last few years (among other pursuits).  We've designed and executed dozens of successful missions.  We've produced space flight hardware, ground station equipment, and remote sensing systems for the most demanding customers in the world,  Collectively, our expertise is in developing robust mechatronics.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PULL THIS OFF?

We've built & tested 5 autonomous sailing robots over the last several years.
Our boats have completed hundreds of hours of fully autonomous navigation and traversed hundreds of kilometers on the water.
We've proved a robust sailing algorithm.  In the GPS trace below you can see the boat complete upwind tacking maneuvers without human control.
We've completed the Robotboat Mark VI design.  We're going to build it like a surfboard; it will be incredibly strong and be capable of being rolled in waves indefinitely.
We won't quit.
Neither will the boats.  The Robotboat Mark VI features a patent pending self-righting mechanism, the first and only such system in existence.  It can prosecute targets day or night, rain or shine, wind or doldrums, thanks to its advanced wing sail and assistive electric propulsion system.
And... we'll need your help.  R&D of this nature is not cheap.
  • Mechanical and electrical components = $40k
  • Tooling (molds & dies) = $30k
  • Average cost per test = $1k
  • Expected test quantity = 10x
  • TOTAL = $80,000

We're trying to build as many of these boats as possible

As soon as we receive this kickstart, we will execute the following schedule:
As your sponsorship allows us, we will undertake more ambitious missions in the next few months:
World Record
Trans-Atlantic Crossing
Measure oil leaks
Measure the Pacific Garbage Patch
Measure Boundary Currents (e.g. the Gulf Stream)
Measure Marine Life (video & acoustic)
Measure Icebergs

Measure Coral Reefs

Think bathtub/desktop size...
Special thanks to our international backers!  We'll have to ask you to help mitigate the extra shipping costs required to deliver your rewards.  For addresses outside the U.S.A. please add $8 for keychain / $15 for tshirt / $20 for 3D model / $35 for jacket to the appropriate rewards levels at right.
Thanks for checking out the Robotboat!!!

16 October 2010

SEA SHEPHERD E MAIL NEWSLETTER 14OKT10

UPDATES on the dolphin watch in Taiji, Japan and other Sea Shepherd actions.....
Oct 14 (1 day ago)

Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd E-Newsletter
Defending Ocean Wildlife Worldwide


Please join us on this International Dolphin Day, along with people all over the planet, as we celebrate dolphins and stand up for them to bring awareness to their plight and to the dire state of the oceans.

I know you agree with us that the ruthless slaughter of dolphins and whales has no place in the 21st century! So, please support our efforts to continue to be part of the solution.

Activists on the Ground on the Front Lines of the Cove
For more than a month, Sea Shepherd has had activists - the Cove Guardians - on the ground in Taiji, Japan making sure the "fishermen" cannot hide their dirty little secret anymore.

Cove Guardians

Our presence is making an impact! With the worldwide spotlight on the tiny town of Taiji, the dolphins have a much greater chance at survival.
Read the daily reports and watch the videos!

Cove Guardian Daily Reports from Taiji, Japan


Check Out the New Dolphin and Whale Scoop Neck T-Shirts
Support Sea Shepherd while being ecologically and fashionably conscious!

These new women's Dolphin and Whale Scoop Neck T-Shirts display the whale and dolphin design from the Sea Shepherd Jolly Roger logo in a creative new way!


Be the first to get one!
Women's Dolphin & Whale scoop neck t-shirtWomen's Dolphin & Whale scoop neck t-shirt

Still Time to Enter Our YouTube Video Contest
YouTube your way to being a whale warriorWith two weeks left until the end of the YouTube Your Way to Being a Whale Warrior video contest, there's still time to enter.

Learn more and earn a place on the ship!




As the Cove Guardians keep watch on the infamous Cove, Sea Shepherd also has activists diligently preparing for our return to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary for Operation No Compromise. We are determined to put an end to illegal whaling - no compromises.

Every year that we head down to the Southern Ocean, we are increasingly more effective, thanks to the support of thousands of caring and compassionate individuals like you from around the world. With your help, this seventh campaign to Antarctica will be our most successful ever. Thank-you for making this campaign-- and all of our other campaigns to defend dolphins, sharks, seals, and other marine animals-- possible.

For the oceans,


Captain Paul Watson
Founder and President
--------------------------------------------------
Tel: +1 (360) 370-5650
Fax: +1 (360) 370-5651
Guest Commentary
Dolphin

Dolphins Need More
Protection Than Ever
by Hardy Jones
BlueVoice Executive Director
Events
Captain Watson speaking at the podium

Just before our Antarctic Whale Defense Campaigns, there are always lots of fundraisers and events happening to raise support.

Find out if we'll be in
your area!



Give
Donate
Sea Shop
Dolphin and Whale detail

The whale and dolphin
design above is a detail
from our new Dolphin and
Whale Scoop Neck T-Shirts

Learn more about these
cool new shirts!

Video
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-101006-1.html
Michelle Rodriguez has a
heart for animals - and she's doing something about it!


See what she has to say
and join her in
supporting our efforts!
Keep in Touch

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Direct Action CrewJoin the Direct Action Crew and
get a FREE Sea Shepherd t-shirt!
Put your donations directly to work protecting marine wildlife in peril! When you join the Direct Action Crew, our automated recurring giving program, it helps us save on administration expenses. So to show our appreciation, you will receive a free Sea Shepherd Classic t-shirt and 20% off of all merchandise from our online store for the duration of your participation in the program. Sign up online!