Dear Marmamers, I´d like to inform you about a recent development of a new research tool we are currently using. Wise-Research is a joint venture of IMMRAC and Wise Mobility. IMMRAC (Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance center) is an NGO performing research on the cetacean populations inhabiting the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea since 1994. IMMRAC is an ACCOBAMS scientific partner since 2004 and its academic sponsorship is through the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies of the University of Haifa. http://immrac.haifa.ac.il/. Wise Mobility produces mobile distributed solutions. The focus is on connecting the field operator with back office applications using his handheld device/laptop. http://www.wisemobility.com. The Wise-Research project has started in 2005 and it was field approved after 2 years in January 2007. Since then IMMARC researchers have stopped using papers and collect all the field data using PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) with the dedicated software. The "WiseResearch" software is a generic versatile platform, suitable for diverse research requirements. The technology used is based on Microsoft Infrastructure #C (.net), using the Off-The-Shelf Windows Mobile Operating system (WM5/WM6).The database is MS SQLServer2005 and SQL mobile MS for the hand-held devise. The hardware is off the shelf PDA with GPS and Windows Mobile Operating system (WM5/6), such as: HP iPAQ rx5940/5710, Mitac AIRIS 620, HTC TyTN II/ Kaiser, etc. To enable us to use the PDA in wet and harsh conditions, we use the OtterBox 1900 PDA Case. It is waterproof, crushproof and drop-proof. The software allows the collection of standard navigational data (sea state, swell height etc.) Observational data (group size, behavior categories, respiration pattern, etc.) Geographic coordinates and time stamp is attached automatically to each data. Why is it good for the heads of each research group? • All the researchers in their group will collect similar data • The quality and amount of data collected in the field will grow enormously • They can easily check upon the quality of data collected within their research group immediately after the survey. • The premade reports will enable them to analyze the data immediately after the survey. • They will not have to spend many hours correcting type error frequently done while transferring the data from tape recorder/paper to the computer Why is it good for the field researcher? • The simplicity of collecting data with PDA will encourage the researcher to collect more data in the field, in all weather conditions. • No more transferring data from the tape-recorder or paper to the computer after a long tiring day at the sea. • The time spent on transferring data can be now devoted to doing more surveys or improving methods or analyzing the data. More facts you need to know about wise research • The old Access datasets/ Excel sheets collected by the researchers can be easily transfer to SQL. • Wise Mobility can supply the hardware and will guide each new user with the first steps with the software. • Step by step manual is provided with the software. The software was presented in the ECS conference in the Netherlands. Outcomes of the conference: • Worldwide, all coastal marine mammal‘s researchers, working from small crafts are still collecting the data in an inefficient way of using pencil, paper pad and hand held GPS (Sarasota, Shark Bay, British Columbia… ). • There are many similar coastal researches going on, hardly any collaborate to share data. With the Wise research software collaborating data between neighbor research groups can be easily done. For more details please contact: Aviad Scheinin _________________________________________________________________ Aviad Scheinin <mailto:scheinin@research.haifa.ac.il> scheinin@research.haifa.ac.il <http://immrac.haifa.ac.il/> http://immrac.haifa.ac.il/ Chairman, IMMRAC - Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance center Ph.D Student, Department of Maritime Civilizations, Haifa University. The Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies, Haifa University Mount Carmel, Haifa 31905 Israel Home address: Tirat Shalom, P.B. 1356, Nes-Ziona 74052, Israel Tel 972-8-9406584 Mobile 052-3571193 Fax: 972-4-8240493 __________________________________________________________________