Whale shark identfication software wins Australian U$100,000 prize - 26 October

A method of recognising whale sharks based on the starry night sky has won Australian marine biologist Brad Norman a US$100,000 prize from a watchmaking company.

...

After spending hours laboriously cataloguing and manually checking photographs of the sharks, Norman decided there had to be an easier way. A software-developing friend in the U.S., Jason Holmberg, introduced him to Zaven Arzoumanian, an astronomer with the U.S. space agency NASA who suggested that shark spots might be a bit like trying to recognise patterns of stars in the sky.

For the full story, see http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/799


Contributed by Tim Hochgrebe added 2006-10-28

Replies of 1

Tim Hochgrebe added 2006-10-31

Read the full story on this achievement in our special article at http://www.underwater.com.au/article.php/id/6558/

I think it is a great tool that can and will be used for loads of other species.

Well done Brad .. and you probably got a great new WATCH too ;-)

Tim

Tim Hochgrebe

http://www.underwater.com.au

Dive in, Explore ... and Save!


Replies of 1

Login or become a member to join in with this discussion.

directory

AquaTech AustraliaAquaTech Australia
Since 1998 AquaTech has been at the forefront of the design and manufacture of professional photographic accessories.

Articles

If Looks Could KillIf Looks Could Kill
If looks could kill, the whale shark would be the most deadly creature in the sea. Up to 14 metres in length, weighing as much as 20 tonnes, and sporting hundreds of teeth, it is outclassed in size only by the true whales.
Underwater Card 2