Smart buoy to monitor the sea

On average, each blue whale captures 33 tons of carbon throughout its life. This so-called ‘marine ecosystem service’ reduces the presence in the atmosphere of one of the main gases that cause global climate change. However, these animals live in constant threat from human activities, in particular, maritime traffic.

Currently, 90% of the world’s goods are transported by sea. These boats are getting bigger and faster, increasing the threat to the whales. Scientific evidence suggests the importance of advancing towards maritime regulation that allows, on the one hand, to put an end to collisions between ships and whales, and, on the other, to reduce the noise that ships generate.

The acoustic impact of human activity on marine ecosystems can cause disorientation and affect basic communication between different species, which directly affects their feeding or reproduction; and also hearing damage, stranding or even death.

To advance in concrete solutions for the conservation of the oceans, the Chilean Ministry of the Environment, the MERI Foundation and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia – BarcelonaTech (UPC), recently inaugurated, in the Corcovado Gulf, in Chiloé, Chile, the first smart buoy of The Blue BOAT Initiative project, developed by the three institutions for more than two years.

The Blue BOAT Initiative, a project that includes artificial intelligence technology, aims to install and connect in South America the first early warning system for the presence of whales with smart buoys capable of alerting vessels in real time of the presence of these cetaceans . It will leave a system installed in maritime waters near Chile not only to monitor the presence of whales, but also to listen to the sea with a technology adaptable to many other ecosystems and industries. The main purpose of the project is to monitor activity in the oceans to avoid possible collisions and other negative impacts of maritime traffic, carry out oceanographic studies to assess the health of the oceans and value the marine ecosystem services associated with whales in the context of climate change. .

First smart buoy of The Blue BOAT Initiative project, installed in the Gulf of Corcovado, in Chile. (Photo: UPC)

The Blue BOAT Initiative, presented at the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference (UN Ocean Lisboa), has been one of the concrete solutions of the 2022-2023 Country Commitment for the protection of the oceans at the Our Ocean Palau 2022 Conference.

The system consists of intelligent buoys equipped with hydrophones, oceanographic sensors and transmitters with LIDO (Listen To The Deep Ocean) technology, developed by a team led by Michel André, an expert scientist in bioacoustics recognized by the 2002 Rolex Award for his technological advances for monitor noise pollution in marine and terrestrial ecosystems. In addition to directing the Bioacoustic Applications Laboratory (LAB) at UPC, he is founder and president of The Sense of Silence Foundation (TSOF) and founder of the company SONSETC Making Sense of Sounds.

LIDO technology will make it possible to develop real-time acoustic mapping of the marine habitat and its biodiversity, as well as to monitor, over time, the effects of human activities on natural ecosystems.

The signals emitted by the smart buoy in the Corcovado Gulf will be received online by the Chilean Navy, which will be the institution in charge of alerting ships of the presence of whales to divert the route or slow down ships .

The buoys, thanks to having sensors for temperature, pH, salinity, nutrients, chlorophyll (through a fluorimeter) and dissolved oxygen, will be able to record the variations of these parameters in the ocean. These data will be used to prepare oceanographic studies with indicators of the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity. (Source: UPC)