Overview

Somewhere in a community between Mt. Katahdin and the Atlantic Ocean in the states of Maine or New Hampshire, students, fishermen, and scientists are gathering information about aquatic environments using sophisticated technology that includes handheld computers, satellite-based GPS receivers, water temperature probes, portable keyboards, and digital cameras.

Vital Signs, an innovative aquatic information-gathering program developed by the Gulf of Maine Aquarium, allows students, fishermen and scientists to assemble records or information that include location data, water temperature data, anecdotal observations, and digital imagery describing their local aquatic environments. Vital Signs users collect information and upload their findings to a database-driven website.
 

History

In 1998 the Gulf of Maine Aquarium, working with Pulse Data Systems created the Vital Signs software that enables the Palm handheld computer to communicate with peripheral technologies, like DeLorme's GPS receiver, and to forward digital information to an integrated database.

In 2001, Gulf of Maine Aquarium was chosen to be one of 15 Palm Education Pioneer and was awarded 25 Palm handheld computers for use in the Vital Signs program. Three months later, Palm, Inc., the market leader in handheld computing, recognized the Aquarium again when it chose us to be one of nine Research Hubs in the nation. With this recognition came 120 Palm Pilots for demonstration of our Vital Signs program.
 

Team

Vital Signs systems can be found in six school communities, five science centers, and two research institutions, representative of freshwater and saltwater ecosystems in the Gulf of Maine watershed. These communities are:

SCHOOLS

• Dana Mitchell, K-8 Technology Coordinator, Beatrice Rafferty School, Pleasant Point, Perry, ME
• Tom Duym, 9-12 Marine Trades, Deer Isle - Stonington High School, ME
• Ruth Maclean, Grade 7 Science, King Middle School, Portland, ME
• Chris Russo, Grade 9 Life Science, Noble High School, Berwick, ME
• Chris Aylesworth, Grades 11-12 Environmental Science, Rangeley Lakes Regional School, ME
• Rolland Voisine, Grade 9 Physical Science, Stearns High School, Millinocket, ME

SCIENCE CENTERS

• Tracey McDonnell Wysor, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, West Boothbay Harbor, ME
• Natalie Springuel and Sarah Gladu, Maine Sea Grant, Orono, ME
• Jim Chase and Tracy Fredericks, Seacoast Science Center, Rye, NH
• Amy Yeakel and Eric D'Aleo, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, Holderness, NH
• Laura Lubelczyk and Sue Pike, Wells National Esturarine Research Reserve, Wells, ME

RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

• Chris Glass, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, MA
• Mike Doan and Joe Payne, Friends of Casco Bay, South Portland, ME
• Craig Pendleton, Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, Saco, ME
   
  

Partners

• Vital Signs Software Development - Randy Pulsifer, Pulse Data Systems, Saco, ME
• Database and Mapping - Bill Duffy, John Armentrout, and Tom Lynch, Northern Geomantics Inc., Hallowell, ME
• Web Design and Grahics - Petri Tuohimaa, Web Graphic Design
• Artwork - C. Michael Lewis
   
  

Funders

This website was made possible in part by a grant from the Technology Opportunities Program, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

Other funding has been provided by:

• Christensen Fund
• Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust
• Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation
• Sailor's Snug Harbor
• Arthur K. Watson Charitable Trust