Technology for a Planet in Balance

Help put our planet in balance by solving three grand technical challenges in conservation. National Geographic engineers are tackling these challenges with the help of MATLAB^® to create new advanced sensors and platforms to explore, monitor, and tell the story of our planet's vital systems.  

Eric Berkenpas, senior director of exploration technology, gives an overview of some of these sensor platforms. The Drop-Cam is a low-cost method for collecting video of benthic (sea floor) habitats from any depth in the ocean. The Crittercam is a powerful tool for capturing point-of-view imagery and sensor data from wildlife to help researchers understand animal behavior. The Driftcam is a deep-sea robotic system designed to explore pelagic (mid-water) habitats as deep as 1,500 meters to study one of the most important and least understood ecosystems on our planet. Lastly, Eric describes how National Geographic uses aerial drones to collect impactful media and how they are applying what they’ve learned in the air to develop state-of-the-art deep-sea filming drones to help tell the story of what is happening in our oceans.  

Along the way, see how National Geographic uses MATLAB to accelerate the development of these sensors and platforms with toolboxes like the Global Optimization Toolbox™.

Get involved in the race to create a planet in balance. Learn how you can get a National Geographic grant and join a community of over 5,000 explorers, researchers, educators, and engineers working to build a sustainable future.