Multibeam echosounder
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Multibeam or "Swathe" or "Swath" echosounders originated in the late 1950's, developed by the US Navy and General Instruments in the 1970's to map large swaths of the ocean floor to assist with underwater navigation of its submarine force. Companies such as General Instruments (now SeaBeam Instruments and part of L3/Klein) in the United States, Krupp Atlas (now Atlas Hydrographic), Elac (in Germany) and Kongsberg Simrad in Norway developed systems that could be mounted to the hull of small boats starting in the 70's and rapidly improving technology through the 80's and 90's. Reson, Inc. of Santa Barbara, CA and Slangerup Denmark, developed the "SeaBat" range of portable multibeam echosounders were the systems widely accepted for shallow water hydrographic surveying to make harbor charts.
