Marine Virtual Reality Program
Famed undersea explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau once remarked, “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Echoing Cousteau’s sentiment and recognizing our own good fortune as marine scientists in Monterey Bay, we’ve searched for ways to share the soothing tranquility and transformative power of scuba diving experiences with non-research communities. The challenge, however, is finding a way to bring the sea and its wonder to those who lack access; to those who could often benefit the most.
This program highlights our efforts to ‘render the water column transparent,’ to bring stakeholders, policy makers, and members of the broader public underwater with us through the use of imagery.
Immersion!
Come take a virtual dive with scientists as they explore and conduct research inside marine protected areas (MPAs) across coastal California. Observe fishes, invertebrates and even marine mammals in kelp forests ranging from La Jolla State Marine Reserve in the south to Gerstle Cove State Marine Reserve in northern Sonoma County. [Note: for longer transects at selected sites navigate to the Inventory > Diver-Operated Videos page.]
Options for Viewing 360 Video
Adventure Gateway - Trying scrolling through MPA videos via our desktop StoryMap version
Smartphone - Use this URL (https://csumb.edu/undersea/immersive-vr-videos)
In your browser, when you click on the selected link, the video will be opened in the YouTube app. (Note: the YouTube app is required to view 360 degree videos.) Once the video is up & running you can rotate your phone in all directions to observe the underwater environment just as the divers did when they collected the imagery. Don't forget to look behind you.
Desktop or Laptop Computer - Review the VR videos listed below (https://csumb.edu/undersea/immersive-vr-videos). When you click on a selected link from the table, the video will open in YouTube. Once the video is up & running you can turn in all directions using the 'w' (up), 's' (down), 'a' (left), and 'd' (right) keys on your keyboard. You can also use your computer mouse to swipe around the underwater scene.
VR Headset - Videos are hosted on the YouTube channel of the 'California Undersea Imagery Archive'. If you are prompted to choose a projection, select "Monoscopic 360". Controls may vary between headset models. Open the YouTube VR app in your headset. Type 'California Undersea Imagery Archive' into the search window. A number of videos will appear in the library. Navigate to the 'IMMERSION! 360 Videos' playlist. The VR videos are indicated by a '360' in the upper left corner.
Immersion Quick Looks -- 1 minute VR dives
| Dive Location | Description | Immersion Video |
|---|---|---|
| Shalebeds, Monterey California | Metridium fields | Quick Look (1 min) |
| Galápagos Islands | whale shark | Quick Look (1 min) |
| Monastery State Beach, Carmel California | urchin barren | Quick Look (1 min) |
| Big Creek State Marine Reserve, Big Sur CA | kelp & reef tour | Quick Look (1 min) |
| San Clemente Island | BOSS video lander | Quick Look (90 secs) |
| Monterey Bay breakwater to Anacapa Island | California Sheephead | Quick Look (1 min) |
| Close Encounters at the Galápagos Islands | Galapagos shark, Spotted Eagle Ray, Green Sea Turtle | Quick Look (1 min) |
| Monastery State Beach, Carmel California | temperate reef wall | Quick Look (1 min) |
Immersion Marine Protected Area (MPA) VR dives
| Dive Location | Depth of Dive | Description | Immersion Video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gerstle Cove State Marine Reserve | 10-44 FSW | Salt Point SP/Gerstle Cove is one of the first underwater areas in California where marine life was completely protected. | Short Dunk (3 mins) |
| Hopkins Marine Reserve | 20-50 FSW | Located within the Lovers Point State Marine Reserve - This reserve is associated with Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station and has been closed to all but research scientists for decades. | Short Dunk (3 mins) |
| Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area | 20-50 FSW | Come explore the 'Breakwater Wall' and nearby 'Metridium Field'. These sites are some of the most dived locations in California due to the convenient entry/exit used by SCUBA dive classes from across northern California. | Short Dunk (4 mins) |
| Point Lobos State Marine Reserve | 40-100 FSW | The Point Lobos MPA is one of the oldest in California. This video takes divers along the edge of the kelp forest of south Monastery Beach. | Short Dunk (3 mins) |
| Point Lobos State Marine Reserve | 10-57 FSW | This deep to shallow transect explores the wonders of the Carmel Canyon Head & north Monastery Beach. | Short Dunk (3 mins) |
| Anacapa Island State Marine Reserve | 18-42 FSW | This virtual dive highlights the unique habitats of Anacapa Island's MPA, part of the Northern Channel Islands. | Short Dunk (3 mins) |
| La Jolla Underwater Park | 40-80 FSW | Located within the Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve | Short Dunk (4 mins) |
Understanding the Ocean is in Your Hands
It is an irony of the 21st century that the ocean on which so much of human society depends (including for climate moderation, food safety, and recreation) remains fundamentally inaccessible to many communities. This disconnect is perhaps no more pronounced than in secondary schools in underserved communities, where students often have no direct experience with the sea and its ecosystems, even when that sea may only be miles away. Virtual reality has the potential to ‘immerse’ students underwater like never before, providing critical exposure, but also providing a compelling introduction to how science is conducted in an often-challenging environment which can in turn lead to enhanced engagement with the ocean and ocean conservation.
Immersive VR SCUBA Dive Curriculum
Advances in immersive virtual reality (VR) technology are now making it possible for high school students to explore what ocean researchers have always had the privilege of experiencing, not only with respect to the wonders of the undersea world, but importantly how scientific research is conducted underwater, and how it can be used to inform policy and management in support of marine conservation.
Virtual Reality tools remove the “try to imagine…” factor, by welcoming students into a different world regardless of where they live, how little experience they may have, or even whether or not they can swim. The connection from understanding that underwater world to caring for it is an easy leap, but one that must be stewarded with robust training in the scientific method.
Curriculum [for high school teachers]
What can students do with the VR SCUBA 360 curriculum?
Explore.
- Identify marine fish species and habitat(s)
- Develop an awareness of a research diver's perspective
- Collaborate as research scientists
- Collect and analyze data from a specific Marine Protected Area (MPA)
- Construct a Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning Statement
With the VR SCUBA 360 curriculum, your classroom becomes the ocean and your students are marine scientists. Through the use of virtual reality headsets and smartphones, students collect real world data along an underwater transect. Concepts such as biodiversity, keystone species, and trophic interactions come to life and create engagement in the classroom. Students team up to identify ecosystem elements, record data, and draw meaningful conclusions about the marine environment along virtual transects.
Watch a 360° underwater video here
Curriculum application possibilities
Going beyond the lesson plans, the data collected by classrooms using VR SCUBA 360 has real world applications. With a standardized format, the information can contribute to coastal monitoring programs, help manage MPAs, and inform local policy. Show your students the many opportunities in the field of marine science: from field research diver, to statistician, to ocean policy, the skills learned with this curriculum will help inspire the next generation of ocean scientists.
Levels. Languages. Locations.
The VR SCUBA 360 curriculum prioritizes creating a diverse, accessible, and engaging learning environment. It is a multi-level, bilingual curriculum that prioritizes low-cost learning materials. The material is also intended to align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Environmental Principle and Concept (EP&C).
The curriculum is offered in the following structure:
- Levels: Exposure (Exposición)- a distilled version of the base curriculum intended to be accessible for those with little knowledge of marine systems; Core (Centro)-the base curriculum; Extension (Extensión)- includes some of the more advanced/in-depth opportunities in areas of quantitative reasoning and collective action.
- Languages: English, Spanish, and English-learning where users can see both English and Spanish but are prompted to answer in English.
- Locations: Currently, the VR SCUBA 360 content has been collected at multiple locations in California (our pilot study area), along with Tenerife in the Canary Islands, and is actively being used in classrooms in these places!
Video Footage Locations
- North-central California
- Monterey Bay - North Monastery Beach
- Southern California
- Channel Islands - Santa Cruz Island
- Wakatobi, Indonesia - The Zoo
- Cuba, Gardens of the Queen - Cabezo de Cubera
- Subtropical Rocky Reefs, Mexico (delayed)
- Rosh Hanikra-Akhziv Sea Reserve, Israel (in progress)
- Tenerife, Spain
Custom Virtual ID Guides
Our curriculum package includes:
- Fish Identification Guide - with morphology examples and in-situ photos
- How to Identify Fish - CA Central Coast: Breakwater
Contact
For access to the full curriculum content, please contact:
Dr. James Lindholm, jlindholm@csumb.edu
Dr. Corin Slown, cslown@csumb.edu
Carrie Bretz, cbretz@csumb.edu