Current Projects
Understanding Hotspots of Biological activity on coral reefs with Audio and Visual sensing
The complex ecological webs of coral reefs require can't be understood using any one sensing modality. We are working to combine the long-range sensing capabilities of passive acoustics with the information-rich data from visual sensors onboard a single AUV. Using passive acoustics, an AUV can listen to a coral reef without disturbing it, and identify hotspots of biological activity from far away. Then, by moving closer to investigate with cameras, we can learn more about which species are present in the hotspot and what the underlying reef habitat is.
Efficient Modelling of Dynamic Coastal Environments for AUV Mission Planning
For Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), strong currents can have a significant impact on mission performance. However, current methods for modelling these flows, such as the Regional Ocean Modelling System, require large amounts of computation, and are impractical for real-time deployment on resource-constrained AUVs. New machine learning methods, such as Generative AI, are promising alternatives that can synthesize hydrodynamic model output into compact models deployable on AUVs.
Deep Learning for Detecting Fish Calls
Fish are an important part of coral reef ecosystems, however it is challenging to determine exactly how many fish live on a reef, and which species they are. To help with this, we are exploring machine learning methods to automatically detect and classify different types of sounds made by fish on coral reefs. The goal is to create automated systems that can monitor reefs in real-time and to accelerate analysis of decades of recorded reef soundscapes.
Marsupial AUV/ASV Deployment, Rendezvous, and Recovery
To maximize the efficiency of AUVs, particularly for large-scale deployments or long-term missions, an Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) can be used to transport one or more AUVs to and from offshore deployment zones. However, the ASV can be more than a simple carrier, it can be a communications link, bridging the underwater acoustic communications with satellite data links, or a rescue vessel capable of rushing to recover a damaged or disabled AUV in an emergency.
