Surfing For Science
Collecting data from ‘nearshore’ ocean environments is difficult because swell conditions are constantly changing and it’s expensive to build scientific infrastructure that can withstand strong surf. The Smartfin is a new piece of technology that attaches to a surfboard and is able to collect data from these surf zones, which is essential for climate change research. The technology was developed in San Diego by a collaboration between researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Surfrider Foundation and surfboard fin manufacturer Futures Fins.
Renaud Joannes-Boyau is a senior researcher at Southern Cross University. He’s spearheading the Smartfin initiative in Australia and is on 2ser Breakfast to tell us about this exciting tech.
Watch a video of the Smartfin in action, and read more about it here.
Image from Shutterstock.
