# Under the Bay > Augmented reality experience exploring Chesapeake Bay's underwater ecosystem with dynamic audio-visuals. (iPhone/iPad app by Lisa Moren.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/under-the-bay/id1641553491 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Lisa Moren](https://appshunter.io/developer/1641553493) - Category: Entertainment, Education - Price: Free - Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 11.0 · 2.8 GB - Languages: English - Released: 2022-08-25 - Data updated: 2026-06-11 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/under-the-bay/id1641553491/reviews.md ## What is Under the Bay? “Under the Bay” tells the story of a world beneath the surface of the Chesapeake Bay and really all estuaries and oceans. In this augmented reality project a user can point their cell phone at the water — or anywhere in the world — like a microscope and see and hear the hidden invisibilities under the Chesapeake Bay. When they do, a series of stories between humans and non-humans emerge told by the artist Lisa Moren with original music by Dan Deacon. The narrator describes the Chesapeake Bay in both enlightenment and medieval terms where personal observation is intertwined with scientific knowledge unpacking recent political events and arguing for diversity broadly. Some episodes see microbes like faeries and the planet as an ensouled body soaked in a wet film that breaths like a living organism. Other meandering topics include cryonics, meditation, the origins of the Internet, monuments, protests, US elections, and algae blooms all describing a world out of balance. Underwater sensors located throughout the Chesapeake Bay collect data on the water’s oxygen and salt levels, pH, temperature, etc. This live data streams into the app allowing the stories, images, and electronic music to be driven by the current conditions of the Bay water. The data from the Bay will direct how the organisms appear and how the story is told. In addition to affecting the animation’s speed and color, originally composed music will change volume, reverb, EQ, and other parameters, based on the water conditions. For example, the narrator's voice will sound choppy, or even choking, when the oxygen is low or anoxic, but when oxygen conditions are good, the voice is clear. Behind the scenes, marine biologist, Dr. Tsetso Bachvaroff, shares his expertise on the Bay water, its data, and the DNA of the invisible organisms. Dinoflagellates and diatoms produce most of the world’s oxygen and are the ancestors of humans for hundreds of millions of years. Before they outlive humans, they reveal their remarkable survival strategies to us and inspire how we may learn to live in this project. Viewers may select one of 8 scenes with images and sounds evolving each time they open the app. In the evening the app offers originally composed music and animation inspired by bioluminescence that’s also affected by the incoming water data. A calendar will allow the user to go back in time to hear what the Bay was saying on a particular date, perhaps during an algae bloom. The user may also change sites in the Bay or turn off the data altogether to experience different effects. “Under the Bay”, tells a unique story for every user, changing over time, over seasons, but always influenced from the viewpoint of the water itself. TEAM Lisa Moren, Artistic Director + Script Writer Dr. Tsvetan Bachvaroff, Marine Biologist, Data Analysis Dan Deacon, Electronic Composer Marc Olano, Software Engineer + Developer John Boutsikas, Lead Programmer Austin Samson, Modeler + Animator William Forrest, Animator + Technical Artist Woody Lissauer, Voiceover Engineer + Narrator, Ted Nelson Ruskin Nohe-Moren, Narrator, Theodore Schwenk Aliyah Baruchin, Copy Editor + Fact Checker ++ This project is generously supported by the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund at Johns Hopkins University and the R.W. Deutsch Foundation. THIS PROJECT ORIGINATED DURING AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY THE INSTITUTE OF MARINE AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY [IMET] AND CIRCA AT UMBC. WE’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT FROM MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES; DANIELLE MCPHATTER AND HARVESTWORKS DIGITAL MEDIA ART CENTER, IRC AND CAHSS AT UMBC, AND ANTOINE CAYROL OF ATLAS V IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES IN AR, XR, AND VR. ## Key features - Augmented reality underwater exploration - Live environmental data integration - Dynamic music and animation - Artist-narrated stories - Selectable scenes - Historical data playback ## Frequently asked questions about Under the Bay ### What is Under the Bay? Under the Bay is an augmented reality application that allows users to explore the hidden world beneath the Chesapeake Bay. It uses live environmental data to dynamically alter stories, visuals, and music. ### How does Under the Bay use live data? Live data from underwater sensors in the Chesapeake Bay, such as oxygen and salt levels, influences the appearance of organisms, the speed and color of animations, and the parameters of the original music, including volume and reverb. ### Can I experience Under the Bay offline? The app's core functionality relies on live data streams and augmented reality features, suggesting an internet connection is necessary for the full, dynamic experience. However, some pre-loaded content might be accessible offline. ### What devices support Under the Bay? Under the Bay is supported on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices, indicating compatibility with Apple's mobile operating system. ### How often is Under the Bay updated? The app was last updated on October 12, 2022, with its latest version being 1.1. This suggests a moderate update frequency, with new content or features potentially added periodically. ### What is the age rating for Under the Bay? Under the Bay has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide audience, including children, to explore educational and artistic content. ### Does Under the Bay have ads? No, Under the Bay does not contain advertisements. As a free application, it focuses on delivering its augmented reality experience without interruptions from ads. ### Can I go back in time with Under the Bay? Yes, the app features a calendar that allows users to revisit specific dates and hear what the Bay was 'saying' at that time, such as during an algae bloom. ## Version history (last 2 releases) ### 1.1 — 2022-10-12 Changed the data API endpoint ### 1.0 — 2022-08-26 No release notes. ## Apps similar to Under the Bay | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Spice Journeys](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spice-journeys/id6466984366) | — | Free | Entertainment | | [LightplayLite - Funkstar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightplaylite-funkstar/id6479565209) | — | Free | Entertainment | | [Unsettling Grounds](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unsettling-grounds/id6446208572) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Entertainment | | [Last Chinatown](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/last-chinatown/id6499598564) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Entertainment | | [Riddlers Garden](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riddlers-garden/id1637810592) | — | Free | Entertainment | | [Contrafactum - ICMC 2024](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contrafactum-icmc-2024/id6504776855) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Entertainment | ## More apps by Lisa Moren - [NONUMENT 01::McKeldin Fountain](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nonument-01mckeldin-fountain/id1305863650) All apps by Lisa Moren: https://appshunter.io/developer/1641553493 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-11.*