Open Source Underground

Mike Bedford on why caving needn’t only pose a physical challenge – it’s also your chance to try out exciting bits of FOSS-powered kit!

- Mike Bedford

Those of you who want to exercise your mind and body at the same time might balk at our suggestion that you take up caving. Yet, as we discovered in LXF244, when we looked at the technology of cave surveying, venturing underground can pose both a physical and a mental challenge.

However, the technology used in caving  doesn’t have to end with hand-held  electronic surveying tools and laser  scanners, coupled with open source Linux  software for post-processing and map  preparation. Here, we’ll look at how  technology can be used in exploring caves, photographing them, monitoring  the underground environment for  scientific research, and even minimising  the risk involved in venturing into these  potentially hazardous (my dad tells me it’s perfectly safe–Ed) environments.