This device is designed to create awareness about the impact of human activity, climate change and rising temperatures on the ocean. It consists of a large tank of water with sensors for various changes such as temperature and salinity, extra jugs and boxes filled with various things that can be added to the tank, and a laser projection system to project images onto the water surface.

Users add contents from the jugs and boxes to the large water tank, and the laser system projects images onto the water surface depicting various changes in the ecosystem of the ‘ocean’ based on what users added. For example, users adding warmer water increases the overall temperature, and the projection changes to depict bleached coral, fewer animals, wilder storms, and other effects linked to rising ocean temperatures. Users can also add contents in attempts to restore the ‘ocean’ to its original state, such as colder water. Other potential interactions include adding salt or fresh water, adding and removing human ‘rubbish’ such as plastics, adding and ‘cleaning up’ liquids that represent oil and other chemicals, and adding and removing ‘boats’ that represent fishing and other activities that remove animals and resources from the ocean.

This is intended to be installed in a park or other public place where people often walk past, and can stop and engage with it as long as they like. It is also intended that multiple people can interact with the tank at the same time, so that the effects of one person adding, for example, ‘rubbish’ items while another removes ‘boats’ can be depicted simultaneously.

Links

Inspiration article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-28/sea-turtle-spotted-in-bicheno-waters-a-rare-sight/12009714

Impacts of rising ocean temperature: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/oceans/critical-issues-sea-temperature-rise/

Lasers and water: http://www.gobosource.com/gos/blog/projecting-an-image-onto-water-windows-and-other-challenging-surfaces/