CCOM’s Telepresence Room is home to one of several telepresence consoles located across the U.S. The master console is located at the University of Rhode Island—the home port of the E/V Nautilus. Others can be found at the Mystic Aquarium/Institute for Exploration (IFE) in Mystic CT, NOAA Headquarters in Silver Spring, MD, the University of Washington, and at the Boys and Girls Club of Scottsdale, AZ.
Currently, two University-National Oceanographic Laboratory Systems (UNOLS) vessels are equipped with telepresence technology—the E/V Nautilus, and the NOAA Ship R337 Okeanos Explorer, with more research vessels slated to be equipped with telepresence technology in the coming years.
The CCOM console comprises several powerful computers and a host of displays, which allow it to display high-resolution video and audio communication conducted over satellites and Internet2. All voice and video streams can be seen and heard in real-time. Voice over IP (VoIP) technology allows land-based crews to communicate with their counterparts at sea, and the video feeds can be broadcast in resolutions up to 1080p HD. Large amounts of research data can also be transmitted quickly and easily.
If you’re interested in seeing any of the action first hand, the E/V Nautilus has a website with a lower-res broadcast of their feeds, found at nautiluslive.org, while the Okeanos's feed is available on the web during their research season at oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos.
