New Toys!

After experiencing so many technical difficulties with our ROV, we got a new toy on Monday! We're not quite sure how he did it (most of us are speculating on superpowers), but Dr. Clark was able to get together enough money to buy a new ROV and ship it to Malta. The new ROV is looking slick, but more importantly it came with a working cable (although it's not as long as our previous cable, it is long enough for most sites, is not attached to the carrying case, and can be attached to an older cable to add length), a much larger monitor (the older ones are about 6in while the new one is about 15in), and a new working depth sensor. What does that mean!? Depth measurements and 3D data! YAY! After tearing through the packaging like a kid on Christmas, we decided to test out the new ROV on the cave near St. George's Bay since our previous readings could be improved upon (and because the cave is just that cool).



Tuesday was fun, too! In groups we all climbed aboard the Isis II (a boat) to check out a WWII shipwreck in the bay. The team took turns visiting the site in groups of 2 or 3 and each member took a turn driving a much larger ROV around the shipwreck. It handled differently from our VideoRay and had a longer response time, but a few quick minutes of practice proved to be enough (at least, for our purposes). There were also some divers who happened to be in the area. They were supposed to be on one side of the wreck while we would stay on the other, but slowly during my turn they crept over to our side. This was a little thrilling as I didn't want to slam the very expensive equipment I was controlling into anyone and they came in rather quickly. Fortunately, I was able to keep my distance while not losing sight of the wreck until I was done. We then surfaced the robot and reeled it in with a crane (much easier than pulling it out by hand) and headed back to the dock. And while I am excited for the new VideoRay, it was a great treat to be able to use this other ROV.

Tourism shapes industry - Abstract

The development of a country is often measured through the success or lack thereof of the industrial sector. Through continued dependence on foreign support Malta failed to develop in industry and technology until after its independence in 1964. In addition, industrial growth has been limited by the lack of natural resources available on the island - water and energy are limited. By considering the natural resources available, the history of industry on the island, and analysis of its current economic status, the impact of tourism on the country can be assessed. In Malta, tourism is an important economic contributor and has shaped the more recent industrial development. Tourism is important to the island of Malta given how industry has been formed around it, however, this has been a detriment to the islands technological development. These detriments can be seen through the struggle with natural resources of water and oil, the absence of manufacturing prior to 1959, and the absence of a unique industrial field.

Progress Report #1: industrialization, natural resources, technology

The focus of my report will be on the historical and current emphases of industrialization, natural resource use, and development in technology in Malta. I am curious to see how the changes in the city through industrialization lead to improvements in technology, and vice versa.

The natural resources available to the people of Malta are limestone, salt, and arable land. Thus, mining and agriculture are important parts of industry. However, one of the most socially and culturally important industries provides an almost negligible economic contribution; the Maltese fishing industry has been a significant part of the Maltese industry and culture. The beautiful weather found on the island of Malta is also a resource. Through the expansion of tourism, and Malta's accession to the EU in 2004, tourism has blossomed. This relates to the fishing industry, as local fresh seafood is a pride to local restaurants targeted towards tourists.

I believe the expanding tourist site has additionally affected both industrialization and technology. Tourism brings big changes to countries, especially small ones like Malta. There have been many cultural changes, as well as social “improvements,” better defined as changes. The mentality of a country changes with the tourism industry.

Malta first encountered statistical machines in 1950, when it purchased punched-card machines. This was the first time the government was able to take accurate statistics on the sectors of Malta's economy. This sparked an attention to improving technology, and upgrading of machines. More recently, Malta has been taking part in world wide telecommunications, establishing a large source of employment and revenue. The technology boom has been prevelent there, and “Malta is growing in the areas of customer service, support, IT development and sales and marketing” (Knights, 2008). This industry is popular as an export for other countries, because though it is more expensive than outsourcing to Africa, it is still much cheaper than paying people from other countries in Europe.

These are just snippets of information I have found about Malta's technological history, and industrialization expansion. However, I am struggling to draw the line between industrialization and historical facts, as well as technological improvements and industrialization. The lines have blurred with these subjects, providing me with an abundance of insightful facts.