Larry Page and Sergey Brin's moonshot factory X is dipping its feet into a new project focused on new technology for sustainable use of the world's oceans.
The moonshot, called Tidal, was introduced on the X Company blog by Tidal General Manager Neil Davé. He describes Tidal as "a team at X working on a moonshot to protect the ocean and preserve its ability to support life and help feed humanity, sustainably."
The problem with the ocean is it's extremely hostile to technology due to crushing pressures below the surface, saltwater and electronics being a disasterous mix, and Wi-Fi and GPS simply not working underwater. Even so, the Tidal team is focused on finding new ways and creating new technology to see what's happening below the surface.
Although it's only now being announced, Tidal has been hard at work for the last three years. The initial focus is on fish farming and how to cut down on food waste and chemical use while more easily detecting disease in fish stocks as early as possible. The end result is a new underwater camera system capable of tracking thousands of fish and their behavior alongside environmental information (temperature, oxygen levels).
Other areas Tidal will explore include ocean pollution, unsustainable fishing practices, plastic waste, and acidification and the impacts it has on corals and sea life more generally. If the Tidal team can solve one or more of those problems, it's worth the millions Google pumps into these moonshots to keep them going.
Further Reading
- Hands On With the Fujifilm X-T4
- CP+ 2020 Trade Show Canceled Due to Coronavirus Fears
- Hands On With Fujifilm's Gorgeous X100V
- Hands On With Leica's Black-and-White M10 Monochrom
- More in Cameras
Camera Reviews
- Sony E PZ 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS
- Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS LE
- Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS
- Sony a6100
- Sony E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS