Realtime Underwater Modeling and Immersion

The Realtime Underwater Modeling and Immersion (RUMI) project takes video and imagery generated during an ROV dive and transforms it into an interactive, explorable terrain that visualizes associated dive data in a georeferenced digital environment. This project is currently in its development stage, building a proof-of-concept prototype and core functionality based on 2023 expedition data to illustrate the possibilities of a media experience designed to inspire curiosity built from future expeditions’ data, with applications for educational and scientific audiences. Project products are not yet public but will be evaluated for release in late 2024. Some models are being released on our Sketchfab, which you can view here.

RUMI aims to fuse data layers of time-synced hydrographic surveys with deep sea ROV video, control room audio, dive logs, and expert taxonomic analysis via an Unreal video game engine-based digital diorama. Development of the RUMI project is funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration and the Office of Naval Research.