Demo

SCOOT and Seacat at ‘Open Ship’ in Stockholm

ASV, Demo, People, Platform, R/V Skagerak, Research vessel, SP SeaCat / June 25, 2022

Nice weather and an even better crowd! What more can one ask for when it is ‘Open Ship’? University of Gothenburg’s research vessel R/V Skagerak joined the event in Stockholm 9 – 11 June. SCOOT was very happy that Skagerak’s ship manager Louise Newman invited us to show the experimental autonomous platform Seacat on the aft-deck. This highlights the importance the university places on innovation and of being in the technological forefront of ocean observations.

The event allowed visitors to see the state-of-the-art  in ocean observation methods and technologies. On 8 June the event prestarted with groups of high-school students, on 9 June came crown princess Victoria, on 10 June came a long row of specially invited guests and decision makers, and on 11 June the general public was invited (fully booked quite early).

In addition to R/V Skagerak the event featured two more of Sweden’s research vessels, namely R/V Svea (used extensively by SCOOT partner SMHI and by SLU Aqua) and S/V Ocean Surveyor (used by Geologiacl Survey of Sweden).

Seacat is mobilised onto R/V Skagerak in Gothenburg, prior to the departure for 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022.
Seacat is mobilised onto R/V Skagerak in Gothenburg, prior to the departure for 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022.
Three Swedish research vessels participated in 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022: R/V Skagerak (left), S/V Ocean Surveyor (right) and R/V Svea (back).
Three Swedish research vessels participated in 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022: R/V Skagerak (left), S/V Ocean Surveyor (right) and R/V Svea (back).
Crown princess Victoria visits 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022. At the aft deck of R/V Skagerak this small ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) is shown.
Crown princess Victoria visits 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022. At the aft deck of R/V Skagerak this small ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) is shown.
Specially invited guests are guided onboard R/V Skagerak during 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022. Visitors were shown autonomous platforms, including the Sailbuoy and the Seacat.
Specially invited guests are guided onboard R/V Skagerak during 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022. Visitors were shown autonomous platforms, including the Sailbuoy and the Seacat.
Visitors from the general public are guided onboard R/V Skagerak during 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022. Visitors were shown autonomous platforms, including the Sailbuoy and the Seacat.
Visitors from the general public are guided onboard R/V Skagerak during 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022. Visitors were shown autonomous platforms, including the Sailbuoy and the Seacat.
Seacat shown to visitors at the aft deck of R/V Skagerak during Open Sip in Stockholm in June 2022.
Seacat shown to visitors at the aft deck of R/V Skagerak during Open Sip in Stockholm in June 2022.
Seacat shown to visitors at the aft deck of R/V Skagerak during Open Sip in Stockholm in June 2022.
Seacat shown to visitors at the aft deck of R/V Skagerak during Open Sip in Stockholm in June 2022.
Seacat on display at the aft deck of R/V Skagerak during Open Sip in Stockholm in June 2022.
Seacat on display at the aft deck of R/V Skagerak during Open Sip in Stockholm in June 2022.
Seacat safely returns to Chalmers Revere Lab after 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022.
Seacat safely returns to Chalmers Revere Lab after 'Open Ship' in Stockholm in June 2022.
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More about 'Open Ship' in Stockholm 9 - 11 June, 2022

Fishing for Data

Citizen Science, Data, Demo, Environmental monitoring, Fishing vessels, Innovation, Platform, Ship of opprtunity / February 10, 2022

The ocean is desperately under-sampled. Remember, we cannot forecast what we do not monitor. The problem of under-sampling is often stated about the deep ocean, but it is also very much the fact in the coastal ocean, as well in the marginal ice zone. These regions are characterized by high economical and societal value, and by high biological activity, including fish.

Collecting enough of data to describe these dynamic regions using standard research vessels would be extremely expensive. Robots struggle here as well, because of strong currents, ice, shallow water, risk of collision with vessels, etc. However, where there is fish, there is fishery… Why not employ fishing vessels to collect ocean data? Berring Data Collective is doing exactly that. SCOOT partner SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute) is supporting the effort to bring “Fishing for Data” to Sweden. A number of Swedish fishing vessels have expressed interest, stay tuned…

The beauty of Fishing for Data is the cost-effectiveness. Just by attaching some robust sensors, and then doing their usual fishing activity, these vessels put near real-time data into open portals and aggregators, such as EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Services. This is where the computers of operational forecasters (such as SMHI) automatically go to find the data that feed their models. This also where ocean and climate scientists find data.

More about Fishing for Data

Seacat 2.0 – Autonomous inspection of marine installations

Acoustic, ASV, Blueview, Demo, GNSS, Innovation, Lidar, multibeam echo sounder, Optical, Platform, Sensors, SP SeaCat, video / January 3, 2022

Seacat has been with us from the start of SCOOT. It has been a nice platform for testing integration of sensors, actuators and software. Seacat also allows us to experiment with tasks for robots in the marine domain. In 2021 we have been looking at automation of inspection/supervision of marine installations. “We” means a broad group of actors (see logos below), where SCOOT has the coordinating role. Last month we recorded a short promotion video to summarize the work.

So, we have integrated a range of sensors above and below the sea-surface, and we have implemented precise navigation close to objects, including in autonomous mode. Now we need to work on the platform specifications: speed, weight, maneuvering, endurance. Then we will have a robot ready for operations in the toughest of environments, the splash zone and close to objects. That is a high risk area where we prefer not to put humans.
Robert Rylander Researcher

More about Seacat

Technology for Marine Citizen Science

Citizen Science, Data, Demo, Fishing vessels, Innovation, Sensors, Ship of opprtunity, Workshop / December 22, 2021

On December 16th SCOOT had invited a passionate group of people to the Kristineberg research station. During an intense and hands on workshop we got demonstrations of new equipment and methods for ocean data acquisition. Not the tools that many professional oceanographers are familiar with, but the kind of technology that open up the field of ocean data collection to many, many more than before. This is citizen science, and there are strong reasons to believe that it will transform marine science. (This workshop was the second event under the banner of Ocean Data for Ocean Health. You may remember the ODOH conference SCOOT co-arranged last year?)

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During the workshop we looked at sensors and at apps that are suitable for a wide range of users, including fishermen, boaters and basically anyone in contact with the ocean.

  • Berring Data Collective demonstrated how local fisheries can put sensors on their gear, collecting data useful both for their own fishery and for oceanographic research.
  • Deepoid AB demonstrated their miniature loggers for ocean currents, temperature and light. Super easy to deploy on a moored line and endurable thanks to low power consumption.
  • Sailing 4 Science showed castaway CTD, an easy-to-use instrument that quickly delivers a vertical profile of temperature and salinity.
  • SMHI presented the app EyeOnWater from MARIS and others. The app allows anyone can upload photos of the sea-surface to help capture the ocean color, an important parameter for determining particle content and presence of algae.
  • Maranics AB presented an app for the project Algal Blooms Sweden, which invites anyone to share images and observations of blooms in the ocean.

New technologies open new opportunities for observing the ocean, that is wonderful… But that does not immediately translate into action, or impact for that matter! We discussed at length how and why broader groups of our society can be engaged in building knowledge about the ocean. Uta Wehn, from University of Gothenburg and IHE Delft, has long experience in this field and led us in the discussion. We were joined online by John Tumpane from Formas, who pointed out that citizen science has an important role in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for a Sustainable Development.

Marine Citizen Science is about co-creating ocean knowledge, it is about a radically more democratic ocean science and ocean governance. Are the current actors in academia and public agencies ready for that?
Uta Wehn Professor of Marine Citizen Science

More about (marine) citizen science

SCOOT open ship day 12 November

Demo, Platform, R/V Skagerak, Research vessel / November 12, 2021

On the 12th of November we open the door (even more than usual) to SCOOT and the gangway to new and shiny R/V Skagerak! On 15th of October the king inaugurated the ship, and now we welcome companies and entrepreneurs, who are interested in the most modern technologies for making observations in the ocean. This day serves as a learning and planning day for the coming SCOOT at sea days early 2022, when we make R/V Skagerak available, primarily for small and medium sized companies in western Sweden. 12th of November is an opportunity to

  • visit Sweden’s most modern research vessel,
  • meet representatives from the SCOOT consortium (University of Gothenburg, MMT Sweden AB, SMHI),
  • discuss how your company can use SCOOT’s resources, including R/V Skagerak.
We are very happy to announce this opportunity to visit our new vessel, and to plan for usage at sea. By making R/V Skagerak available we want to strengthen innovation as well as collaboration between industry and the university.
Louise Newman Ship manager

Place: Nya Varvet in Gothenburg (see maps below), it is only a 2 minute walk between the ship and SCOOT’s space.

Time: The ship will be open 9 am – 6 pm, on the 12th of November.

Welcome!

I am interested in visiting R/V Skagerak 12 November
Survey about needs (in Swedish)
R/V Skagerak:
SCOOT: (exept on the 12th)
R/V Skagerak at home port Nya Varvet in Gothenburg. Photo by Thomas Dahlgren.
Ship manager Loise Newman, SCOOT director Seb Swart, ship captain Joakim Edvardsson, and surface robot/glider Sailbuoy, after the ship inauguration.
Ship manager Loise Newman, SCOOT director Seb Swart, ship captain Joakim Edvardsson, and surface robot/glider Sailbuoy, after the ship inauguration.
SCOOT director Sebastiaan Swart is relieved, having shown diving robot/glider to the king, after the ship inauguration.
SCOOT director Sebastiaan Swart is relieved, having shown diving robot/glider to the king, after the ship inauguration.
The most important person on R/V Skagerak: The chef, here smiling after the ship inauguration.
The most important person on R/V Skagerak: The chef, here smiling after the ship inauguration.
The representative from Falkvarv AB, the yard who completeted the ship, explains details to visitors on the bridge, after the ship inauguration.
The representative from Falkvarv AB, the yard who completeted the ship, explains details to visitors on the bridge, after the ship inauguration.
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AUV Ran before diving.

AUV Ran back in Sweden: Join the collaboration, tests and operations in 2021!

AUV, Demo, Hugin, Innovation, Platform, Ran, Sweden / March 30, 2021

In 2019 SCOOT’s flagrobot AUV Ran became first to conquer the depths under the ‘doomsday’ Thwaites Glacier. In 2020 Ran’s greatest achievement was the mapping of subsea landslides in the 2000 metres deep Kaikōura Canyon off New Zeeland (read news at NIWA and see their nice Ran pop video below!).

Now Ran is back in Sweden, and as always SCOOT makes her available for entrepreneurs, innovators and SMEs. First out is a group of SMEs during an intense mission week in early February on the Swedish west coast.

Let us know if you want to join the collaboration/testing/operations, already in February and in the planned June session. We are not looking for AUV experts only. We are looking for anyone with ideas for utilising or collecting ocean data!

Info about AUV Ran
I am interested in AUV Ran, I have an idea...

Ocean Data conference spurs collaboration!

Animal platforms, ASV, AUV, Breakfast, Citizen Science, Data, Demo, Fishing vessels, Innovation, SeaExplorer, Ship of opprtunity, SP SeaCat, Tuna / December 21, 2021

September 29th at Nya Varvet and online

What a day… The conference Ocean Data for Ocean Health covered a lot of the themes SCOOT has been involved in the last two years. We hosted the event on September 29th at SCOOT’s space at Nya Varvet in Gothenburg, and we were happy to gather quite a number of old and new SCOOT people and partners.

The programme scratched on the surface of many urgent topics. SCOOT is committed to contribute to keeping up the momentum of this dynamic environment! (Just hosted breakfast meeting on sensors platforms of opportunity, see below.)

Especially intense for SCOOT was the final Block 4, demonstrating autonomous technology for collecting ocean data, see below.

Jessica just before start of conference.
Jessica just before start of conference.
Jessica kicks off conference.
Jessica kicks off conference.
From block 1, keynote by Robin teigland.
From block 1, keynote by Robin teigland.
Christian and Fredrik leading block 2.
Christian and Fredrik leading block 2.
Keynote speaker Jannes Gimsbury, block 3.
Keynote speaker Jannes Gimsbury, block 3.
Torsten talking to Robert Mertens, block 3.
Torsten talking to Robert Mertens, block 3.
Robots for ocean science, in the electronics workshop.
Robots for ocean science, in the electronics workshop.
Olle shows and tells in the electronics workshop.
Olle shows and tells in the electronics workshop.
Olle explains how diving glider Seaexplorer works.
Olle explains how diving glider Seaexplorer works.
Preparations for demo in the marina.
Preparations for demo in the marina.
Seacat in the marina.
Seacat in the marina.
Seacat approaching Green Pilot, Robert stands by.
Seacat approaching Green Pilot, Robert stands by.
Ola explains data collection with Green Pilot.
Ola explains data collection with Green Pilot.
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Block 4: Demonstration of ocean robots

Autonomous vehicles

VOTO‘s research coordinator Louise Biddle and oceanographic technician Olle Petersson explain how gliders on and below the seasurface monitors the ocean.

Play Video
Next generation ocean observers!

Elsa and Jakob from the Science Club in Lysekil show their drifter Dynamene, built by Science Club and deployed in the morning, retrieving data live!

Play Video
Experimental platforms

Ola Benderius from Chalmers Revere lab and Robert Rylander from RISE Maritime research demontrate how knowledge from the automotive industry can be applied in the maritime domain. (Special appearance by flying drone from MMT Swden AB…)

Play Video

October 21st, breakfast webinar on tuna and fishing vessels

We were 6 persons having our morning coffee at Nya Varvet and another 6 joining the video meeting. Picking up from Sept 29th, we talked at some length about opportunities (and challenges) around data from tagged animals and from sensors mounted on fishing gear/vessels. Take home messages:

  • These data have huge potential to fill serious gaps in existing ocean monitoring programmes, where other and autonomous methods struggle. These gaps include shelf and coastal seas and marginal ice zones.
  • The cost-benefit relation is very good!
  • The infrastructure for collecting and distributing these data is rapidly expanding and maturing.
  • Challenges include subsurface communication and integration into existing monitoring data flows.

Recording from the meeting.

Register now: Ocean Data for Ocean Health

Data, Data Factory, Demo, Innovation / September 17, 2020

SCOOT hosts conference about digital solutions for the ocean environment.

SCOOT proudly invites you to an online conference on the 29th of September, about sustainability and innovation in the blue economy. Registration has opened. We are very excited to host this event from our new sea-side space at Nya Varvet in Gothenburg. We will take the opportunity to show what SCOOT is about and how we see the future for ocean observations.

Register!
About
Programme

The programme mixes presentations by experts in AI, robotics, innovation and ocean data, with demonstrations of autonomous technology for observing the ocean. SCOOT’s flagrobot AUV Ran will be busy on the other side of the globe, doing work in New Zeeland. But we will show other exciting items, in the workshop and on the water! VOTO are keen to show the how their fleet of diving gliders works (successfully tested in extremely stratified Skagerak!), and rumour has it that MMT wants to use our autonomous Seacat as a platform for take off and landing for a flying drone. We also expect a visit by the next generation of ocean data collectors, from Gullmarsgymnasiet in Lysekil, where the students build their own sensors and platforms. 

Recommendations regarding social distancing does not allow for any visitors inside. But but if you are in the vicinity of Gothenburg, take the chance to watch the live demo on site, and chat with technicians and pilots. Starting around 3.30 pm.

The conference is arranged in partnership with Maritime Cluster of West Sweden, Ocean Data Factory Sweden and Swedish Maritime Technology Forum.

Seacat during demo 2019, deploying Sailbuoy.
Seacat during demo 2019, deploying Sailbuoy.
VOTO's robots piling up in the workshop...
VOTO's robots piling up in the workshop...
Skeppet Ärans väg 3, Gothenburg. On Sept 29th visitors for outside demo only, otherwise please stop by!
Skeppet Ärans väg 3, Gothenburg. On Sept 29th visitors for outside demo only, otherwise please stop by!
Students at Gullmarsgymnasiet in their sensors workshop.
Students at Gullmarsgymnasiet in their sensors workshop.
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SCOOT goes all in

ASV, AUV, Demo, Hugin, Innovation, Ran, Sailbuoy, SB Kringla, Seaglider, SG Semla, SP SeaCat, SunChallenger, Workshop / July 13, 2019

Do you want to learn and test what/where/how autonomous platforms can measure in the ocean. Do you already have experience and want to meet other experts? This is the workshop for you! More info about available resources and schedule here.

SCOOT’s fleet of autonomous vessels and robots will be available, together with support vessels, technicians and experts. Specifically this includes SCOOT’s flagrobot, the AUV Ran. SCOOT is proud of the coverage Ran’s achievements has got in media, e.g. in Roling Stone,  Public Radio International and Swedish public service television. 

Our host for this workshop is Institute of Marine Research, belonging to Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).

Please contact us if you interested in participating!

SCOOT welcomes SunChallenger II to Gothenburg

ASV, Citizen Science, Demo, Innovation, SunChallenger, Workshop / December 21, 2021

Difficult winds will unfortunately mean that the SunChallenger II will not make to Gothenburg on June 19. Constructor Jonas Blanck will nevertheless be there and explain his project.

On Wednesday June 19, SCOOT will welcome the newly launched SunChallenger II to Gothenburg. SCOOT is an eager friend of the SunChallenger project. SCOOT director Seb Swart leads the welcoming committee, which includes representatives from GU, MMT Sweden AB, Chalmers University of Technology and Research Institutes of Sweden. Everybody is invited to join us! The event is hosted by MMT Sweden AB and takes place at Nya Varvet, starting in the marina at 9.30 am. After lunch we continue with a seminar/discussion about what to expect from projects and platforms such as the SunChallenger. 

Specifications SunChallenger II: 16 ft Catamaran, 5x 300W glass-glass Solar panels, 2x MPPT solar chargers, 2x 500W electric trolling motors, 5x 12v 80Ah Lifepo4 batteries, 2x Raspberry Pi, 2x Jetson Nano, Dual GPS, Compass, PiCamera, 360° camera, 4G modem, AIS transponder, CHIRP DownVision Sonar & Fishfinder, water/air temperature, pH, Conductivity sensor, CO2 sensor, wind sensor, LED Lanterna, Horn, Flag.

SunChallenger II, Autonomous Solar-Powered Vessel, launched in June 2019