Benthic landers are observational platforms that sit on the seabed or benthic zone to record physical, chemical or biological activity. The landers are autonomous and have deployment durations from a few days (for biological studies) to several years (for physical oceanography studies).

Benthic landers come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending upon the instrumentation they carry, and are typically capable of working at any ocean depth.

Ioánnis Fokás (Greek: Ιωάννης Φωκάς), better known by the Spanish transcription of his name, Juan de Fuca (born 1536 on the Ionian island of Cefalonia; died there 1602), was a Greek-born maritime pilot in the service of the king of Spain, Philip II. He is best known for his claim to have explored the Strait of Anián, now known as the Strait of Juan de Fuca, between Vancouver Island, now part of British Columbia, Canada, and northwestern Washington State, United States.

Fokás's grandfather, Emmanouíl Fokás (Gk: Εμμανουήλ Φωκάς), fled Constantinople at its fall in 1453, accompanied by his brother Andrónikos (Gk: Ανδρόνικος). The two settled first in the Peloponnese, where Andrónikos remained, but in 1470 Emmanouíl moved to the island of Cefalonia. Iákovos (Gk: Ιάκωβος), Ioánnis's father established himself in the village of Valerianos (Gk: Βαλεριάνος) on the island and came to be known as "the Valeriáno Fokás" (Gk: ο Φωκάς ο Βαλεριάνος) to distinguish him from his brothers.

It was in this village of Valeriáno that Fokás was born in 1536. Little to nothing is known about his life before he entered the service of Spain, some time around 1555.