A multi-camera observation system developed by a research team at Xidian University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, recently completed equipment trials after creating highly detailed, measurable images of the seafloor at depths of 1,500 meters. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]A multi-camera observation system developed by a research team at Xidian University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, recently completed equipment trials after creating highly detailed, measurable images of the seafloor at depths of 1,500 meters.

Composed of three self-developed 60-megapixel cameras and image-processing devices in a sealed tank, the system collected high-definition seabed images and precise survey-mapping data in the cold-seep area of the South China Sea in late July during a project led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"Under conventional operation modes, when a single camera is used for seabed photogrammetry, submersibles have to cruise back and forth along planned routes to guarantee data overlap," said Lyu Ning, a teacher from the university's School of Electronic Engineering who leads the research team. "This process is not only time-consuming but also prone to observation gaps, while imposing high operational demands on submersible pilots."

By contrast, the system adopts three cameras for parallel data acquisition. A single voyage can cover an area three times larger than that of the single-camera solution, enabling researchers to view underwater targets in a more intuitive manner and freeing up more of the submersible's limited operational time for other tasks.

Through panoramic stitching done in real time, scientists can quickly recognize underwater targets and adjust their voyage and observation strategy. In the past, they needed to wait until they were ashore to view the images, meaning they may miss valuable targets.

According to the university, this technology addresses long-standing bottlenecks, including limited field-of-view coverage, substantial errors in image stitching, and low-accuracy 3D reconstruction. The system is expected to support deep-sea scientific missions, such as gas resource exploration, seabed topography surveys, and cold-seep ecosystem monitoring.

Article from: China Daily 2026-08-19