Azores Deep-sea ResearchAzores Deep-sea Research
A web infrastructure to support the Azores Deep-sea
Research team and it's activities.
https://deepsea.uac.pt
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Overview
Transforming Deep-sea Research Management
Challenge
The Azores Deep-sea Research team faced significant challenges with manual, disconnected workflows. Tasks lacked automation, and critical research data was messy and not properly related, making it difficult to manage projects, cruises, and publications effectively.
Solution
A comprehensive Laravel-based platform that transforms everything into structured models with standard information types. The system is backed by automatic tasks, operations, and a powerful back-office, creating a unified ecosystem where all data is interconnected and easily manageable.
Impact
The platform revolutionized how the research team manages their work, providing automation, data integrity, and seamless workflows. Everything from operations to publications is now centralized, accessible, and efficiently managed through a modern, responsive interface.
Features
Powerful Capabilities
Back Office / Admin Dashboard
A comprehensive administrative dashboard providing complete control over the platform, with intuitive interfaces for managing all aspects of the research operations.
Special Permissions
Granular permission system ensuring secure access control, allowing administrators to define precise user roles and capabilities throughout the platform.
Operations Terminal
Advanced operations management with integrated terminal functionality and comprehensive logging, enabling real-time monitoring and execution of specific research operations.
Dynamic Forms
Flexible form system that allows users to edit models and data directly, providing seamless data management and entry capabilities throughout the platform.
Component Architecture
Everything is built as a reusable component, ensuring consistency, maintainability, and efficient development across the entire platform.
Interactive Maps
Advanced mapping capabilities with GeoJSON support, ArcGIS raster layers, and on-the-fly operations, enabling powerful geospatial visualization and analysis.
PDF Generation
Extensive real-time PDF and media generation system that pulls data directly from the database, creating comprehensive reports and documentation on demand.
WoRMS / OBIS / Taxon API
Integrated ADSR API connecting to global databases to retrieve the most recent worldwide information on species, ensuring data accuracy and currency.
Projects, Cruises & Publications
Comprehensive management system for research projects, cruises, and publications, with detailed tracking and organization capabilities that keep all research activities connected and accessible.
Technical Stack
Built With Modern Technology
Backend Framework
Laravel — A robust, modern PHP framework providing the foundation for the entire platform with MVC architecture, Eloquent ORM, and powerful built-in features.
Database
MySQL — Relational database management system ensuring data integrity and efficient querying for complex research data relationships.
Frontend
Modern, responsive design with component-based architecture, ensuring optimal user experience across all devices and screen sizes.
Geospatial Tools
GeoJSON support, ArcGIS integration for raster layers, and custom mapping solutions for interactive geographical data visualization.
API Integration
Custom ADSR API connecting to WoRMS, OBIS, and Taxon databases for real-time species information retrieval.
CMS
Handcrafted custom content management system tailored specifically for research data management, providing flexibility and control.
Process
How We Built It
/Phase 01
Discovery & Planning
Deep analysis of existing workflows and data structures, identifying pain points and automation opportunities. Comprehensive requirement gathering to understand the full scope of research operations, from cruise management to publication tracking.
/Phase 02
Architecture & Design
Designing a model-driven architecture where everything becomes a structured entity with standard information types. Creating intuitive UI/UX for complex data management, ensuring the interface is both powerful and accessible for researchers.
/Phase 03
Development & Integration
Building the Laravel-based platform with component architecture for maximum reusability. Integrating geospatial tools, API connections to global databases, and developing automated task systems. Creating the custom CMS with special permissions and operations terminal.
/Phase 04
Testing & Launch
Comprehensive testing of all features, from form interactions to map operations and PDF generation. Deploying the platform with full back-office capabilities, ensuring data migration and user training for seamless adoption.
Results
Measurable Impact
1
Unified Platform
All research data centralized and interconnected
∞
Automation Potential
Unlimited automated tasks and operations
100%
Organized Data
Every item structured, related, and manageable
Key Achievements
Successfully transformed disconnected, manual workflows into an automated, model-driven platform. All of the team's research data is now structured into "items", related, manageable and easily published online. The platform provides comprehensive tools for managing projects, cruises, publications, and operations—all in one unified system. Real-time integration with global databases ensures data accuracy, while interactive maps and PDF generation capabilities streamline reporting and visualization.
Platform Highlights
The handcrafted CMS provides complete control and flexibility, while the component-based architecture ensures maintainability and scalability. Special permissions system enables secure multi-user collaboration, and the operations terminal provides powerful monitoring and execution capabilities.
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