Environmental monitoring

SCOOT ship days March 2022

CTD, Data, DNA, eDNA, Environmental monitoring, Innovation, Invasive specieses, Platform, R/V Skagerak, Research vessel, Seabed survey, sediment, Sediment sampling / March 21, 2022

On Friday 18 March we ended SCOOT’s ship week for this time. We plan to be back soon, hopefully with AUV Ran. As always we make it our mission to support entrepreneurs, small and medium sized companies, and basically anyone with an interesting idea. This week we made University of Gothenburg’s new research vessel Skagerak available. We could show images of the blue sky and the glittering ocean (yes, we had nice weather), but we would rather show the continuous data acquisition that goes on the inside of Skagerak. The photo above is from the vessel’s FerryBox system, for continuous measurements of surface water. Curious about the data? Get in touch with SCOOT.

Busy week it has been. Methods have ranged from the very established, like vertical profiling using CTD and sediment sampling using box corer, to the emerging (?) standard of sampling water for eDNA, with consultancy SeAnalytics AB.

At the end of the week we tested two prototypes of a simple 3D-printed temperature mini-logger. We made sure to deploy them at the same depth as the intake for the vessels FerryBox. Both SCOOT and the developing company Deepoid AB will be interested to see how well data from the loggers compare with data from the very well calibrated temperature sensor in the FerryBox system.

SCOOT supports innovation

Do you have an idea about how to get or use ocean data? Then SCOOT wants to support you, with ship time and autonomous platforms and robots, with sensors, expertise and networking. Here is what you should do:

  • Contact us. We want to hear about your ideas.
  • Follow us on Twitter, to learn first about our activities and offers.
  • Sign up for our newsletter, where we summarize what goes on at SCOOT.

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

Ocean Changemaker: Berring Data Collective

Citizen Science, Data, Environmental monitoring, Fishing vessels, Greenland, Innovation, People, Region, Ship of opprtunity / December 21, 2021

We are extremely happy to share that Cooper Van Vranken has been selected as an ‘Ocean Changemaker‘ at the World Ocean Initiative, arranged by The Economist Group. Cooper is the founder of the Berring Data Collective. This is indeed a game-changer in ocean observing: Using fishing vessels to bring in high quality data from ocean regions where data is most desperately needed, including around Greenland. Check it out, it is already live!

Cooper was invited speaker at our online conference Ocean Data for Ocean Health in September. Afterwards he joined us for the follow up breakfast webinar on alternative platforms for ocean sensors. Cooper collaborates closely with Patrick Gorringe who works EMODnet Physics and at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. Together they make data collected by fishing vessels available to all users, including ocean and climate researchers, operational forecasters and environmental monitoring agencies. Cooper and co-authors have published their work in Frontier in Marine Science.

Research engineer from Moscow wins the Killer Shrimp Invasion Challenge!

Baltic Sea, Citizen Science, Data, Data Factory, Innovation, Invasive specieses, Workshop / December 21, 2021

In March the Killer Shrimp Invasion Challenge was opened on Kaggle by Ocean Data Factory Sweden (coordinated by SCOOT): Use innovative machine learning (ML) solutions to predict the spread of the so-called “Killer Shrimp” (Dikerogammarus Villosus) into the Baltic Sea. The challenge is now closed , the referees have completed the evaluation and announced that the winner is…

Dimitriy, research engineer at IBRAE RAS in Moscow, Russia! Dimitriy nicked the winner’s place with a score of 0.99954 (out of a maximum possible 1) and by complying to all rules. Dimitry will be presenting his model in an open webinar on June 16th, see below:

The Benefits and Challenges of Open Innovation and Citizen Science for Solving Ocean Challenges through Applying ML to Ocean Data

Join us on June 16th for a Zoom discussion (Please register here):

  • 15:30 to 15:40 Introduction to Ocean Data Factory Sweden and afternoon discussion
  • 15:40 to 16:10 The Killer Shrimp Invasion Challenge on Kaggle: An online competition tackling the spread of invasive marine species through machine learning
  • 16:10 to 16.20 Break
  • 16.20 to 16.50 The Koster Seafloor Observatory on Zooniverse (still open to join!): Using citizen science and machine learning to annotate subsea imagery
  • 16.50 to 17.00 Concluding remarks

Join the Killer Shrimp Invasion Challenge!

Baltic Sea, Citizen Science, Data, Data Factory, Innovation, Invasive specieses / December 21, 2021

Ocean Data Factory Sweden (coordinated by SCOOT) releases an open challenge: Use innovative machine learning (ML) solutions to predict the spread of the so-called “Killer Shrimp” (Dikerogammarus Villosus) into the Baltic Sea. Join the Killer Shrimp Invasion Challenge online on Kaggle!

Are you

  • a data scientist interested in applying your knowledge to environmental challenges?
  • a marine scientist interested in using Machine Learning in your work?
  • generally passionate about the ocean and keen to learn more about Machine Learning and Marine Science?

Then this is the right challenge for you! The winner of this competition will be awarded a €150 prize, along with the opportunity to present their winning model at the next ODF Sweden Grand Meeting. The event will be in the beautiful city of Gothenburg in June 2020 (date tba).

Join ODF Sweden in the The Koster seafloor observatory!

Biodiversity, Citizen Science, Data, Data Factory, Environmental monitoring, Koster Marine National Park, ROV, Video / December 21, 2021

Ocean Data Factory Sweden (coordinated by SCOOT) is now stepping into a truly demanding territory: Automated species recognition in subsea images. See the promo video and join the The Koster seafloor observatory online on Zooniverse!
 

About The Koster seafloor observatory

At the Koster seafloor observatory we want to know how climate change and human activities influence Sweden’s marine ecosystems.

For the last 20 years, we have used Remotely Operated Vehicles and cameras to monitor the Kosterhavets National Park (click images above for example videos!). A highly-diverse and unique marine reserve in the south of Sweden. Now, we need your help identifying the habitat, species, and presence of litter recorded in over 3,000 hours of underwater videos.

Your answers will allow us to filter out crucial information from the recordings and study how the fauna on the sea floor has changed in response to warmer waters, fishing activities, and changes in environmental protection.

Submerge yourself among large sponges, starfish, and cold-water corals to help us understand the health of the Koster’s sea floor and how we can better protect it.

Words from project owner Victor Valdes

The researcher

“We are excited to bring you a new way to dive into Sweden’s first marine national park. By classifying the underwater videos you will explore our unique marine biodiversity and enable us to better understand the health of Sweden’s marine ecosystems.” 

Learn more!

ODF Sweden supports Baltic Seabird AI/UX Hackathon

Baltic Sea, Biodiversity, Citizen Science, Data, Data Factory, Hackathon, Seabirds / December 21, 2021

Ocean Data Factory Sweden (coordinated by SCOOT) will support the AI/UX Hackathon about the Baltic Sea Guillemots (“Sillgrisslor”), taking place on November 21-22 in Gothenburg. ODF Sweden will be in the Hackathon jury and our partner SMHI will deliver local oceanographic data.

The Guillemots are fascinating seabirds high up in the food chain. They can tell us a lot about the state of the fish and the rest of the Baltic Sea ecosystem. Gathering and annotating data is a heavy task for the scientists of the Baltic Seabird Project. In last year’s trial, huge leaps were made with the help of citizen science. The live stream hosted by WWF produced some 1300+ comments and insights. With the use of AI, recognition of individuals and frequent events could be automated, leaving the extra-ordinary and rarer observations to researchers and citizen science. 

Register and more info here. Deadline for registration is November 7.

ODF Sweden will deliver learning and support digitalization in marine environmental management

Data, Data Factory, Environmental management, Environmental monitoring, Innovation / April 7, 2020

ODF Sweden (coordinated by SCOOT) is now gaining pace! First innovation cycle, lasting to end of 2019, will focus environmental monitoring and management. We will deliver learning and support for digitalization in marine environmental management to the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM). The collaboration between ODF Sweden and SwAM is a part of the ”Three Archipelagos” project. We are excited about this opportunity.

Are you interested in ODF Sweden? Do not hesitate to contact its director Robin Teigland or its coordinator Torsten Linders.

National Research & Innovation Agenda for Underwater Technology

AUV, Environmental monitoring, Innovation / June 29, 2019

SCOOT is active in SubTechSweden, a network of actors who want to strengthen innovation in underwater technology in Sweden. SubTechSweden now releases NRIA-U 2019 (National Research & Innovation Agenda for Underwater Technology). The agenda has a very clear main recommendation: Sweden needs “a joint programme for underwater technology, funding and coordinating basic research, applied research and demonstrations (TRL 1 – 6)”. NRIA-U 2019 is an updated version of NRIA-U 2016.

SubTechSweden emphasises that the underwater innovation area can help to meet the UN sustainability goals, the Government’s Maritime Strategy and Sweden’s underwater capability (decided by the Government to be a “significant national security interest”). NRIA-U 2019 mentions specifically the need for underwater technology in ocean science, monitoring, spatial planning and management. The achievements of SCOOT’s flagrobot AUV Ran under the Antarctic ice shelves are mentioned as a good example of innovation, together with platforms for infrastructure inspection, illustrated with MMT’s Surveyor Interceptor.

AUV Ran and MMT’s Surveyor Interceptor.

SCOOT enters project AutoMonIn – Autonomous Monitoring of marine Invasive species

Biodiversity, DNA, Environmental monitoring, Innovation / May 23, 2019

Chalmers University of Technology will lead a feasibility study aiming for “ an early warning system for invasive species based on DNA- methods, tailor-made to find species on alert-lists .”

The goal is to enable a transition from the traditional manual monitoring methods to the newly developed and coming methods based on automation and DNA-technique. This will be highly valuable to organisations conducting environmental monitoring and other stakeholders with an interest in the spread of invasive species, e.g. harbours and the shipping industry.

SCOOT enters AutoMonIn in order to support innovation and automation of marine environmental monitoring, in this case specifically biodiversity. Several of the technology elements in AutoMonIn are generic and can be adapted to ocean monitoring of other parameters than invasive species.

The other project partners are SeAnalytics AB, University of Gothenburg (SCOOT), Research Institutes of Sweden. Kickoff meeting was held April, 2019, project ends January, 2020. External funding comes from Vinnova (Sweden’s Innovation Agency). The aim of the current feasibility study is to prepare for a for a larger collaboration project. SCOOT hosts the project web page.