BrightCom’s undersea exploration and research vessel with integrated telepresence provides new potential for researchers and disaster recovery organizations to communicate with each other and the public.

Huntington Beach, CA – July 21, 2010 – BP has estimated that 2.9 to as much as 5 million barrels of oil have leaked from the Deepwater Horizon oil well since its explosion destroyed the drilling rig on April 20th. While the company has now capped the well, captured over 700,000 barrels of oil and worked to clean the resulting tar balls and oil along the coast, the marine life and ocean environment are still being dramatically affected by this disaster. Many research organizations are striving to monitor the effects of the oil spill, however integrated telepresence and video conferencing vendor, BrightCom feels real-time data sharing and communication via telepresence could help researchers communicate and educate the public.

Currently, researchers such as the Sarasota based, Mote Marine Laboratories have launched several efforts to learn more about the oil spill’s impact on the Gulf Coast including launching autonomous underwater vehicles, or AUVs to monitor for oil and dispersants and oil movement. They are also monitoring the effects of the oil on local marine life reproduction and growth processes. Other organizations including NASA and FedEx have been driving the efforts in rescuing local marine life such as sea birds and sea turtle nests.

According to Bob McCandless, CEO of BrightCom, “Telepresence communication brings a great potential for connecting researchers and educators all over the globe with each other and communicating to the public about the important data found during real-time underwater exploration. This has a huge potential for the programs currently underway in the Gulf of Mexico.”

Last week, BrightCom announced the launch of the BrightCom Nereid Explorer, a telepresence exploration and research vessel that will be integrated with a remotely operated submersible ROV equipped with high definition cameras, GPS and scanning sonar systems for real time coverage of underwater research of the ocean floor and sea life. BrightCom’s telepresence infrastructure, the Visual Collaboration System (VCS) will provide the Nereid Explorer communication with a wide variety of endpoints including all BrightCom telepresence and video conferencing systems and SIP enabled conferencing systems. Remote desktops, laptops and web based clients can also participate in live conferences with the ship from anywhere around the world.

Mr. McCandless continued, “The disaster in the Gulf Coast is a tragic event for its ecosystems. We applaud all researchers, organizations and volunteers who are putting all of their efforts into rescuing the marine life and learning more about the long-term effects to the environment.”

Telepresence in underwater exploration and research, however, is not a completely new concept. Robert Ballard, president of the Institute for Exploration and explorer-in-residence for the National Geographic Society, has spoken out about how the solution is paving the way for this so-called notion of “electronic travel” from research laboratories and the home.

Ballard said scientists are building remote consoles to contact colleagues at various oceanographic institutes through a telepresence system when they discover something interesting. For example, underwater cameras are installed on cables in National Marine Sanctuaries. And those on land can access the system wirelessly in their homes and link to the pilot navigating the ship at sea thousands of miles away, he said.

“What’s wonderful about telepresence… is it’s reinventing the family,” Ballard said. “You’re able to spend much, much more time at home. Even in my business of exploration, I’m spending now more time at home than any time in my life. And I’m exploring more than any time in my life. So, it’s a really a plus, plus.”

For more information BrightCom, the Visual Collaboration System, Lumina Telepresence, ClearView HD Video Conferencing, or other telepresence and video conferencing services provided by BrightCom, please call 877-483-9737, or schedule a demonstration today online at www.brightcom.com.

About BrightCom – BrightCom specializes in creating flexible and affordable video and telepresence conferencing solutions. With unique integrated data and video conferencing solutions, BrightCom offers a wide range of options to connect people and content from home offices, mobile devices, desktops or conference rooms. To learn more about BrightCom’s quality telepresence and video conferencing with in-depth collaboration features but without a costly investment on bandwidth upgrades, call 877-483-9737 or visit www.BrightCom.com.

BrightCom Sales Promotion: BrightCom recently announced that they are extending their summer sales promotion giving away free ClearView HD Mobile Video Conferencing Cart solutions. Offer requires purchase of the BrightCom Visual Collaboration System. Please call 877-483-9737 or visit www.brightcom.com for more information.

BrightCom Media Contact:
Victoria Sauer
Marketing Communications
Victoria_sauer@brightcom.com

BrightCom
The Performance Leader in Integrated Telepresence
877-483-9737
www.brightcom.com

Tags: Bob Ballard, Bob McCandless, Lumina Telepresence, oceanography, research, ROV, Telepresence, underwater, Video Conferencing, Visual Collaboration System

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