About the Schmidt Ocean Institute:

Back to VIRTUAL EXPLORATIONS

Eric and Wendy Schmidt established Schmidt Ocean Institute in 2009 as a seagoing research facility operator, to support oceanographic research and technology development focusing on accelerating the pace in ocean sciences with operational, technological, and informational innovations. The Institute is devoted to the inspirational vision of our Founders that the advancement of technology and open sharing of information will remain crucial to expanding the understanding of the world’s oceans.

Since the Earth’s oceans are a critically endangered and least understood part of the environment, the Institute dedicates its efforts to their comprehensive understanding across intentionally broad scope of research objectives. The Institute has been a Featured Explorer with the Oceanscape Network since 2016.

Welcome Aboard the R/V Falkor

Step aboard the R/V Falkor (the initials stand for "Research Vessel"), the high-tech flagship of the Schmidt Ocean Institute. The ship uses state-of-the-art technology to achieve lasting results in ocean research, to share the information with other scientists, and to communicate this knowledge to audiences around the world.

Not only does the ship provide living quarters and amenities for crew and visiting scientists, it can accommodate a variety of research including deep-sea exploration, wildlife observations and tracking, and sea bottom mapping. One of the Falkor's most important tools is the ROV (remotely operated vehicle) SuBastian. The underwater robot is outfitted with a suite of sensors and scientific equipment to support scientific data and sample collection, as well as interactive research, experimentation, and technology development.

Archived Explorations from Schmidt Ocean Institute:

October 9 to Nov. 3, 2017:  The coral reefs of the Phoenix Island chain are some of the most pristine in the world. But how are they doing in the Age of Climate Change? Schmidt Ocean Institute uses underwater robots and other high tech to take a look at a marine world rarely seen by human beings. 

Nov. 29 to Dec. 21, 2016: 
How do marine animals survive in the deep-sea, especially in close proximity to volcanic vents? Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel, Falkor, sets sail for the middle of the Pacific Ocean to discover the secrets of a place where life survives against all odds.

Some images and video courtesy of Schmidt Ocean Institute.