On 3 October, companies, institutions, municipalities, and associations across Germany traditionally open their "doors" for the WDR television show Die Sendung mit der Maus. We also participated. Together with our partners, we succeeded in inspiring the participating children for the marine environment through play and activities. The innovation in 2022: for the first time, the children were able to experience a dive using VR headsets: virtual reality in 3D. "We only protect what we know and love" – depicting a real-life dive with manta rays, sea turtles, dugongs (Dugong dugon), rays, and sharks in Mozambique. Afterwards, they entered the water with our team for an introductory scuba diving session.
"ElasmOcean, together with Lukas Müller, brings the ocean into the classroom!"
ElasmOcean and Lukas Müller have collaborated from the very beginning: the marine biologist, research diver, and cameraman produced 3D films during his fieldwork in Mozambique. He made these available to us in cooperation with his partners, which initiated the project. We implemented this concept for the first time as part of the WDR Maus-Türöffnertag in 2022. It proved highly successful. When asked our standard concluding question: "What did you enjoy the most?", there was only one response: "The diving!" Upon further inquiry, this referred to both aspects: the physical diving with our team, and particularly the new 3D dive in the marine ecosystems of Mozambique. Our key partner remains the Sharky Schwimmschule, which made its facilities and large swimming pool available to us for the seventh time this year. The 3D diving experience was made possible by Lukas Müller, the company HabitatXR from South Africa, and the company evrbit from Cologne. For the pool diving session, we received support from our school representative Jörn Pfitsch and his diving school "Diveteam Köln". This combined approach at the WDR Maus-Türöffnertag 2022 marked the launch of a new component of our school education programme (aimed at pupils from the third class or approximately 8 years of age onwards). More updates on this will follow soon. #MeerSchutzDurchWissen #MausTüröffnerTag #TürenAuf
