EIS - Home

What We Do

The Center for Environmental and Information Systems houses three core research areas:

1. Acoustics and Signal Processing (ASP)

ASP conducts research and development in applied ocean acoustics to support antisubmarine warfare and other Navy programs, and, applies signal processing techniques to extract relevant information from underwater sound, speech, and radiation as well as other environmental signals.

2. Environmental Sensing and Modeling (ESM)

ESM investigates new techniques for making operational observations of the coastal ocean, estuaries, and other important regions. The group researches numerical modeling, data management and communication, environmental data visualization, and chemical sensing.

The Applied Optical Sensing Laboratory is researching the optical sampling characteristics of various spectroscopic techniques such as Raman, FT-IR, and UV-Vis, to improve real-time analyses and modeling for understanding and control of industrial processes like pharmaceutical manufacturing and biofuel processing.

Evanescent sensor — optical sensor development

3. Information and Control Systems (ICS)

ICS researches the use of information in complex decision-making environments like social networks, human robot interaction, computer interfaces, and cyber security, developing information and control systems for decision support systems, environmental visualization tools, autonomous underwater vehicles, and a testbed for studying botnets.

ICS is studying group decision-making in a joint Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and Office of Naval Research (ONR) program. They are modeling the interaction of group structural and process variables on group decision-making outcomes, variables such as specific networks, their level of disagreement, the order of their communications, and internal and external pressures. The predicted behaviors from the model will be validated experimentally.

To do so ICS is examining the theoretical integration of small group and attitude change theory, nonlinear dynamical systems, and wireless sensor network analysis methods. From these investigations ICS will design and conduct online group discussion experiments on small groups (3-5 people) through the manipulation of structural and process variables.

The EIS Center’s know-how is applied to the needs of the Department of Defense, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation, along with other agencies and industry partners.

Examples of our research efforts include the investigation of underwater acoustic communications to improve sensor networking, the study of the causes of hypoxia in Hood Canal, and the use of cognitive engineering approaches to study the needs of Puget Sound boaters that resulted in an interactive web application called BIS.

Future directions for our group include chemical sensor engineering, ecosystem modeling of estuaries and coastal regions, and new areas of information science such as the study of social networks. One example of our research and development in chemical sensing is the use of revolutionary optical technologies to measure dissolved gases and to probe the geochemistry of remote and harsh environments.

David Jones, EIS Center Director

“We develop new methods for environmental observation and new tools for data analysis and signal processing, plus design, develop, and improve systems for enhanced performance, precision, and ease of use.”

EIS Center Expertise

Oceanography & meteorology
Applied ocean acoustics
Human systems interfaces
Signal, image & information processing
Naval operational studies
Software & environmental engineering
Statistical analysis
Embedded real-time control systems

EIS Center Applications

Autonomous undersea vehicle piloting and control
Ocean observing systems
Naval ocean & acoustic forecasting
ASW sonar & sonobuoy systems
Torpedo defense
Mine countermeasure systems

What's New?

Ocean Acidification

Scientists from APL-UW and NOAA are studying the changing pH of Washington's coastal waters. Puget Sound may be hit harder and faster by the threat of ocean acidification. More >>

Saving the Sound

A network of profiling oceanographic buoys is planned for Puget Sound where, in spite of the proximity of large populations, scientists lack data to study the water body's health and recommend any actions. More >>

NVS App for Smart Phones

Smart phone users can now access the NANOOS Visualization System on their devices. This evolution of the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems web portal aggregates, displays, and serves near-real time meteorological and oceanographic data derived from buoys, gliders, tide gauges, radar, and satellites, as well as model forecast information. More >>

In the News

Web tool, phone app pinpoint tsunami dangers, quick getaway routes

UW Today, Sandra Hines

20 Mar 2012

A new online portal and smartphone app lets Washington and Oregon residents enter the addresses of their homes, schools, workplaces or kids' day care centers to check if they're in harm's way should a tsunami hit.

Creatures stressed in Hood Canal; fish kill possible

The Kitsap Sun, Christopher Dunagan

26 Sep 2011

Oceanographer Jan Newton of the University of Washington said low-oxygen conditions developed late this year. Sunny weather, which appeared as summer came to an end, can be blamed for a large growth of plankton, which dropped to the bottom of Hood Canal and consumed oxygen as they decayed.

Underwater Gliders for the US Navy

Defense Industry Daily

12 Jul 2011

The U.S. Navy plans to use its fleet of deep and shallow water littoral battle space gliders to acquire critical oceanographic data, which will improve positioning of fleets during naval maneuvers. APL-UW's GLMPC system provides an integrated command and control interface across several glider platforms.