SFI Smart Ocean

The SFI Smart Ocean research centre develops innovative methods for making real-time ocean data accessible online. Our autonomous data collection techniques offer immediate access to information through cloud-based services. These methods are applicable to marine research, aquaculture, offshore energy production, and other ocean-based industries, enabling informed decision-making and promoting sustainable practices. To enable online access to marine data, SFI Smart Ocean creates a wireless observation system for multi-parameter monitoring of underwater environments and installations. The system, based on autonomous smart sensors, is a fundament for the realization of flexible, distributed, robust, energy efficient, cost-effective, and safe marine measurements, data-handling, and remote operations, required to ensure sustainable ocean-based industry and fact-based ocean management. The Centre addresses selected novel measurement methods; a smart sensor platform commencing adaptive sampling, onboard data pre-processing and compression; a novel underwater network architecture for optimal spectrum utilization and two-way communication; and software covering the chain from data acquisition to interfacing open data platforms. R&D challenges include; Standardized, low energy and low cost underwater wireless communication; Software and systems to enable Internet of Underwater Things; Sensor technologies for measurement of integrity and environment over larger areas. Antibiofouling nano-coating, and methods for optimizing the monitoring system for high stability and measurement quality, are also key to ensure reliable data over long time-periods. Furthermore, implementation of methods to improve and tag data quality increases the data usability and value to the end-users. Our vendor company partners are implementing the developed technology components and software from the smart sensor platform in their solutions, increasing market shares through new innovations. Standardized interfaces and open data platforms allow for further value creation also outside the Centre, particularly through contributions to the Subsea Wireless Group (SWiG). The solutions will enable increased autonomy for sustainable and profitable ocean industry operations, and fact-based ocean resource management; important to both ocean industries and authorities.