Samsung Electronics announced on Monday that it has unveiled the impressive first-year results of its groundbreaking Coral in Focus project, which utilizes Galaxy camera technology for ocean protection.
Since last year, Samsung Electronics has been working with Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the U.S. non-profit organization Seatrees on a coral reef restoration project.
The Coral in Focus project targets key coral reef habitats that have recently suffered severe degradation, including sites in Florida, Bali in Indonesia, and Viti Levu island in Fiji. Using Galaxy smartphones, the project captures high-resolution underwater photos of coral reefs to monitor their current state and contribute to restoration activities.
Samsung Electronics has long been at the forefront of marine ecosystem protection. It pioneered the use of recycled materials from discarded fishing nets in the Galaxy S22 series as materials for precision smartphone components. This eco-friendly approach has since been expanded to other products, including tablets, PCs, and wearables.
To support this project, Samsung developed a specialized Ocean Mode for Galaxy smartphone cameras, optimized for underwater photography. Local organizations are now equipped with Galaxy S24 Ultra devices featuring this innovative mode, enabling them to take photos of the coral reefs on-site.
Previously, divers had to carry large underwater cameras with cumbersome equipment, making it difficult to take photos due to the complex buttons and awkward movements. However, the Galaxy Ocean Mode has revolutionized marine research, making it easier for divers to capture high-quality images. The slim, lightweight design allows for easy maneuvering up to 0.006 miles (10 meters) underwater, facilitating close-up shots of delicate coral structures.
Through this project, coral photos taken with the Galaxy smartphone’s Ocean Mode have been used to create 17 detailed 3D coral restoration maps. These maps serve as the foundation for coral colony regeneration efforts. Additionally, through observing the ecosystem, 11,046 new corals have been newly planted and an area of 10,705 square meters of coral reefs has been successfully restored, which is equivalent to 25 basketball courts.
Numerous coral imagery collected through Galaxy smartphones are sent to Scripps Institution to create accurate 3D coral restoration maps and conduct various research. Based on the results of these studies, local organizations continue their coral restoration efforts.
Local conservationists are raving about the Samsung-developed Ocean Mode. This innovative feature reduces the excessive blue tones typically associated with underwater photography, allowing the capture of true coral color. The optimized shutter speed and multi-frame processing technology minimize motion blur, resulting in crystal-clear images. Moreover, the interval function enables the capture of thousands of high-quality coral photos at once, dramatically increasing the efficiency of data collection.
