A brand new movie by Samsung and Seatrees captures the influence and urgency of coral reef restoration by means of the lens of Galaxy know-how
At the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 (UNOC)1 in Nice, held to mark World Oceans Day on June 8, Samsung Electronics hosted a premiere occasion for “Coral in Focus,” a brand new documentary that brings the worldwide coral disaster into sharp aid. The occasion, held at Ocean House, featured a screening of the movie adopted by a panel dialogue with main voices in marine science, conservation and know-how.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Quentin van den Bossche, “Coral in Focus” follows scientists, engineers and native conservationists as they confront the pressing threats dealing with coral reefs — ecosystems that assist as much as a billion individuals and 1 / 4 of all marine life. This work is a part of a broader effort introduced at Galaxy Unpacked in January 2025, the place Samsung unveiled its partnership with Seatrees to assist the restoration of coastal ecosystems with communities in Fiji, Indonesia and the United States, leveraging Galaxy digital camera know-how to doc and support within the restoration of marine environments.
The documentary spotlights the pressing threats dealing with coral reefs and showcases how progressive know-how and international collaboration can drive significant influence for marine ecosystems.
A Crisis Hidden Beneath the Surface
As ocean temperatures shattered information, greater than 80% of the world’s reefs have suffered from mass bleaching. When corals bleach, they lose not simply their coloration however their lifeblood — the algae that feed them. This disaster, largely invisible to the general public, threatens biodiversity, meals safety and coastal resilience. Long-term local weather motion is essential to safeguarding coral reefs, whereas short-term restoration efforts — knowledgeable and supported by progressive know-how — might help them stand up to rising ocean temperatures.
A Galaxy Smartphone That Sees Beneath the Waves
Samsung collaborated with Seatrees, a nonprofit devoted to restoring marine ecosystems, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography on the University of California, San Diego, a worldwide chief in reef analysis, to pioneer a brand new frontier in coral restoration by exploring new, progressive options. Ocean Mode,2 a specialised digital camera function created particularly for this partnership, was developed, launched and validated in real-world circumstances in Indonesia and Fiji. This course of has created a reputable basis for broader scientific use whereas enhancing the general accessibility of this new know-how.
By enabling extra scientists, conservationists and even citizen scientists with the power to {photograph}, map and monitor reefs, Ocean Mode might help restoration efforts scale, and make it potential for anybody to guard extra reefs, in additional locations, with better influence.
Innovation With Measurable Impact
Ocean Mode transforms the Galaxy S24 Ultra right into a cell marine analysis device, enabling vivid, high-resolution picture seize even in difficult underwater circumstances. It corrects the extreme blue and inexperienced hues typical of underwater images, permitting for a extra correct illustration of coral well being and variety.
The digital camera adjusts shutter velocity and leverages multi-frame picture processing to cut back movement blur attributable to water motion or diver exercise, making certain sharp, detailed pictures. With its interval capturing functionality, the system can routinely seize 1000’s of pictures in a single dive, dramatically enhancing each effectivity and consistency. These pictures can then be used to generate 3D fashions of coral reefs utilizing know-how referred to as photogrammetry, giving researchers a robust method to visualize and research the drivers of the construction and well being of reefs over time.
Over the previous yr, the venture has delivered extraordinary outcomes. With these coral restoration initiatives, 17 3D fashions of coral reefs…
