PORTSMOUTH – 401 Tech Bridge is collaborating with NavalX Northeast Tech Bridge and other partner organizations to manage a U.S. Navy Challenge to develop a technology solution that allows autonomous vessels to detect killer whales and right whales in high-traffic areas, 401 Tech Bridge announced.
The goal of the winning design, which will receive a $75,500 award, is “a prototype that employs transformation technology or a combination of existing technologies to detect, classify and display marine mammal location in real time,” according to a news release, “allowing autonomous vessels to take proactive measures to avoid use of sonar or a strike.”
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The technology will also be applicable to manned commercial vehicles such as high-speed catamaran passenger ferries, 401 Tech Bridge said.
The nonprofit economic development organization works to connect companies developing leading-edge advanced materials, technologies and products with major corporations and governmental and defense organizations with funded projects.
The goal of the first phase of the challenge, according to 401 Tech Bridge, is to develop a system of sensors to detect killer whales and North Atlantic right whales with at least one above-water sensor and one below-water sensor. Data from the sensors must be time synchronized and include vehicle position and orientation; time stamp; and sensor data, settings, position and orientation.
Applications are currently open and will close on March 31.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
