Researchers at the University of Maine unveiled a massive indoor ocean that can simulate stormy sea waves, according to the Daily Mail.
The university's Advanced Structures and Composites Center spent $13.8 million on the 100-foot pool that uses 32 fans and 62 paddles to create realistic ocean conditions, including 200-mile per hour winds and waves that can reach up to 100 feet.
The simulator took about six years to complete and received funding from various sources.
"Funding included nearly $4 million from the Harold Alfond Foundation, $3 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, $983,977 from the National Science Foundation and $497,965 from the National Institute for Standards and Technology, along with state and private investments," reported SFGate.
"We are investing in people and infrastructure that will support ocean engineering, and advanced manufacturing education and research, and grow Maine jobs," said Harold Alfond Foundation Chairman Gregory Powell.
The simulator will supposedly help engineers determine if their devices can withstand the harsh conditions of "sea buffering," according to the Portland Press Herald.
It can also be used to test the affects of rising water levels on model cities and determine the best way to protect against ocean dangers.
There are already engineers who have expressed interest in using the simulator.
