Geography's 弗莱明 Builds Remote Operated Submarine For Underwater Research At Una

4月. 11, 2017

米歇尔·尤班克斯，UNA media@javicamino.com, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

Emily Craig,Student Writer, University Communications 佛罗伦萨,阿拉巴马州. - Dr. Jonathan 弗莱明 said he is human like everyone else when it comes to finding inspiration for ways to enhance hands-on learning. 弗莱明, who currently serves as an assistant professor in the Geography Department, has introduced a new tool to his classes, a remoted controlled submarine. When describing what peaked his interest in building the small underwater vessel, 弗莱明 said it was a television show, the Big Picture with Kal Penn, which sparked his inner Jacque Cousteau. 弗莱明 said that in this particular episode of the series, 他们专注于开放式ROV, a company of engineers that sells the kits to cr吃e remote-controlled submarines. "Big Picture had an episode about mapping the world and a lot of new technology involved in that,弗莱明说. "Then they interviewed people from Open ROV about their interest in exploring the marine environment using unmanned vehicles. From there I saw this little submarine they were using." Currently, the submarine is at version 2.8, which 弗莱明 says requires the buyer to build the machine; however, he said the company is set to release a pre- built submarine in summer 2017. The invention makes "underwater exploration possible for everyone," according to 弗莱明. "As a scientist, I study underwater plants," he said. "But we've always had to conduct research from the surface. This submarine changes that." 弗莱明 said now he can take the submarine down and look at the plants in their natural habitat, 它们是如何生长的, what they look like in a group, 等. However, 弗莱明 said his new submarine isn't just for him or the geography department. The next steps are to get more people involved. "You know I could see this being a n吃 piece of equipment for HCI/UX," he said. "Biology may want to use it. The possibilities are endless and it's relatively affordable and easy to build." 弗莱明 said the machine costs around $1,000, and the building process took around 40 hours to complete. And that's not counting the time it took him and his wife to untangle the 100-foot cable that is used to tether it and send information. Moreover, he said he had some unexpected setbacks. "My cat never chews through anything, so this wasn't something I would've expected.弗莱明说. "But the machine wouldn't power on and after multiple hours of trouble shooting, we finally figured out the cat had chewed through the cable." In addition to the assembly, 弗莱明 said he is still getting used to the driving style of the submarine. He said the current system allows you to drive the vehicle through a Google Chrome browser from your computer screen or using a game controller. The computer provides a screen that has you looking through the cockpit of the submarine, which 弗莱明 said can be challenging. "Driving in a car, it's easy to stop and turn on a dime. But this is kind of like an airplane, you're constantly moving and can't stop instantly,弗莱明说. "So it's a bit harder to navigate and turn. I tend to stay at a mid-level which makes it a little easier." 弗莱明 said he's getting better at driving the vehicle. He said he's also very excited about the new technology and the opportunities it provides when it comes to learning about marine life. "I'm trying to get people who are interested,弗莱明说. Purchasing equipment for the ROV was made possible through a research grant from UNA's Office of the Vice President for 学术事务 and Provost. For more information on Geography at UNA: http://ze9qxkej.javicamino.com/geography/ UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA The University of North 阿拉巴马州 is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs through the colleges of Arts and Sciences, 业务, 教育 and 人文科学, and the Anderson College of 护理. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, 阿拉巴马州, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Tuscumbia, Sheffield and Muscle Shoals. UNA also operates a renowned collegiate athletic program in NCAA Division II's Gulf South Conference. The University of North 阿拉巴马州 is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, 性, 宗教, 残疾, 年龄或国籍. http://ze9qxkej.javicamino.com/