• 3-Axis Magnetometer
• 3-Axis Accelerometer
• Precision Temperature Sensor
• Precision Depth Sensor
• Light Sensing Sensor (through solar cell)
• MicroSD Card
  
• ARGOS Satellite Transmitter

• Pop-up Release
• Battery-Assisted Release (up to 10k transmissions on battery + solar transmissions)
  
• Blank Endcap ('fancy' ARGOS-only tag)
• Dissolved Oxygen, Acoustic Receiver/Transmitter, Oil Dispersant, etc (all possible payload sections)
  

• Stored Solar Power
• Battery Assisted Versions (through payload section)

Click Here for Pricing

Click Here for Technical Specifications

The SeaTag-MOD™ is a highly capable, modular pop-up satellite tag that is quite different from other pop-up satellite tags (PSATs or PATs). SeaTag-MOD™ is one of several tags within our line of micro-observation stations developed under the SBIR program.

The main section of the tag houses all of the standard sensors needed to acquire positioning and the behavior of the animal by use of magnetics combined with light for latitude/longitude. The precision depth, temperature, and 3-axis accelerometer provide the behavior of the animal and the area it inhabits. The MicroSD card stores all of this data for transmission (or download if the tag is returned or found); at a sampling rate of every 16 seconds the tag can store up to 30 years worth of data!

Beyond the standard list of sensors in the main section is a variety of different float designs allowing for 50% less drag, smaller size, or more floatation. We can also design the floats to your specifications.

Payload Sections

The reason that our pop-up satellite tag is referred to as a “modular” tag is because it is not just a regular pop-up tag. At the base of the tag is a connector that is used to communicate to the PC for configuration and download test data. What plugs into this section can turn the tag into a million different things: a 'fancy' ARGOS-only tag, a solar powered pop-up satellite tag, a battery-assisted pop-up satellite tag, a pop-up tag with dissolved oxygen sensing, a pop-up tag that can measure oil in the water, and whatever your imagination can muster up!

Whether you are a biologist interested in engineering or an engineer interested in biology we invite you to spend a few weeks here at Desert Star working on your custom tag. We would be more than happy to work with anyone interested in inventing their own tags :)

Location

SeaTag's™ method of determining location is very different than light-only tags. It uses Earth’s magnetic field to determine its latitude; whereas other tags use the length of the day. For determining longitude, we use the standard noon time calculation; however, because we are not looking for precise sunrise/sunset moments our longitude estimations are quite accurate as well. Using Earth's magnetic field for latitude and light sensing for longitude gives us a very reliable tag with accuracy so far averaging 35nm in both latitude and longitude (without any filters).

Power

Another unique feature about the SeaTag-MOD™ is that it does not use a battery as standard. The limitation on battery powered tags is the amount of data you can collect and transmit; however, with the primarily solar-powered SeaTag-MOD™ it has the capability of collecting and transmitting data (in theory) forever. Underwater it can harvest enough light in fifteen minutes at twice the water visibility to keep it running for up to two weeks of darkness. At the surface when transmitting via ARGOS it just goes on-and-on-and-on until all of the data is transmitted. Obvious limitations that should be considered are biofouling at the surface or becoming a tasty meal for a shark, etc.

With the capability of also having a battery in the release section (any size battery, customer specific) the tag can also work at depths where light does NOT penetrate the water. The battery works in a mode where it will power the tag until there is available sunlight and will also power the transmissions until their is available light. This is referred to as a "hybrid power" mode (or battery-assist) because it still uses solar power, when possible.

Connectors

SeaTag-MOD™ has no external connectors when the payload section is attached thus nothing to get fouled up or break. To communicate with the docking station (device used to configure and retrieve data from the tag), the tag uses a connector at the base of the tag (without payload section attached). The connector section is o-ring sealed to prevent water intrusion at ocean depths.

Developer’s Kit (Payload Section)

Due to the modularity of the tag the payload section offers the opportunity to develop a tag with any sensor (dissolved oxygen, oil measurement, salinity, etc). All that needs to be done to the tag itself is run power and communication wires from an endcap at the base of the tag to the sensory section, wire up the sensors to the circuit board, write firmware for the payload section to talk to the main section, and encase everything in epoxy...isn't engineering simple :)  We invite anyone to come to Desert Star to work on these specialized projects where we will happily assist in the development.

Please click on the 'DETAILED INFORMATION' button on the top right corner for operator's manual, field data, scientific data, pricing, etc. Desert Star's YouTube channel with SeaTag specific information can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/DesertStarSystems