HOBI Labs offers a wide range of scientific-grade instruments for measuring water optical properties and the spectral light field. Our instruments are designed to operate in the harsh oceanic environment with reliability, accuracy and minimal maintenance.
Basic and applied research in aquatic optics is a core activity of HOBI Labs. We also provide a variety of services to universities, naval laboratories and other institutions in the area of light and optics in the aquatic environment.
Interested in optical backscattering, turbidity, suspended sediment concentrations? Take a look at our HydroScat line of spectral backscattering sensors. These instruments also measure chlorophyll and CDOM fluorescence.
Interested in hyperspectral (full spectrum) measurements of plane (or scalar) irradiance and radiance? Browse our line of HydroRad radiometers.
Do you need to control multiple instruments through a single serial connection and host computer? Autonomously operate and log data from a combination of serial and analog outputs? You'll be amazed at the power and versatility of our HydroDAS line of multi-instrument controllers and data loggers.
Company History
HOBI Labs was founded in 1997 by Dr. Robert Maffione (president & chief scientist) and David Dana (chief engineer). Our flagship product, the HydroScat-6, was the world's first commercial multi-spectral backscattering sensor. Today it is still one of our most popular instruments, along with its offspring the HydroScat-4 and HydroScat-2, all of which include the capability of simultaneously measuring fluorescence.
Within two years of its founding, HOBI Labs introduced the world's first, and still only, combined absorption and backscattering sensor, the a-ßeta. At the same time, we also introduced the world's first, and still only, combined transmissometer and backscattering sensor, the c-ßeta. These were followed by the HydroRad series of hyperspectral radiometers, also offering unique capabilities such as built-in intelligent data logging.
These instrument developments went hand-in-hand with an active research program that took us and our instruments from the tropics to the arctic.
