William Lange

William Lange has been involved in developing and applying new technologies and techniques to observe and view the underwater world for 20 years. He was among the first to use high resolution and high-definition imaging systems for oceanographic research. His efforts have resulted in the production of camera systems with unprecedented clarity and resolution. These imaging systems, designed to work from very shallow coastal zones to depths exceeding 20,000 feet, have been used to survey and explore numerous shipwrecks, including the wreck of the RMS Titanic. They have also produced startling images of new life forms, including those found at the deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Working in collaboration with Sony, Bill's work has revolutionized the way that we view the oceans including the mid-water regions and the deep-sea floor, which make up two of the largest environments on Earth. The imaging systems developed at the Advanced Imaging and Visualization Laboratory has included multi-spectral imaging systems, lowlight intensified, photo-grammetric stereo, 3D still and motion HD/UHDTV systems. A key approach has been the development of high-level integrated design architectures for the optical, sensor, metadata, control, and data acquisition sub-systems. This modular design architecture allows rapid prototyping of new imaging systems for scientific imaging as well as traditional filmmaking applications. The scientific, entertainment, and defense communities have employed these imaging systems for many years, but recently these tools have been applied to the marine archeology field where they are already having a dramatic impact on how marine archeological imagery and data is acquired and interpreted. Beyond scientific imaging, Bill's goal is to share the excitement of science by providing high quality imagery for museums and documentaries. He was a key participant in the formulation of The Jason Project, the development of an eight thousand square foot traveling museum exhibit “Extreme Deep Mission to the Abyss” and has been involved in numerous scientific and television projects as well as many Imax films. He is currently developing technologies, storylines and programming for 2D/3D HDTV/UHDTV, Full Dome and Immersive venues for presentation in science centers, museums and aquariums venues. He is also concerned with scientifically documenting and monitoring marine mammals, and is involved in whale observation, husbandry, transportation and rehabilitation projects around the world. This program has been augmented by the design of a variety of aerial HD and hyper HD imagers for manned and unmanned aerial imaging platforms. Under the tenet that observation is the cornerstone of science, Bill continues to gather unique images that advance our knowledge of the planet and tell the many fascinating stories of science.