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 mammals 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
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
__________________________________________________________________