Introducing OpenEar
BLUEiQ’s mainstay innovation is OpenEar—a novel solution for affordable, low-power, edge-AI acoustic sensing that is both persistent and autonomous. Offering real-time, AI-driven insights right at the sensor level, OpenEar enables easier decision-making while reducing operational costs.
The deployment of PAM technology is pivotal in preventing negative impacts on threatened species populations. OpenEar can be used as a tool to reduce ship collisions with whales and mitigate the effects of human-generated ocean noise on marine mammals. The OpenEar sensor provides real-time alerts that help prevent ship strikes and protect migration patterns of sensitive species like the North Atlantic Right Whale.
Filling a Gap
OpenEar fills the gap in the market for a cost-effective and scalable sensing and monitoring solution for marine conservation, maritime security, and offshore energy projects. This unique acoustic sensor is not just another piece of technology; it’s a low-cost, lightweight, and ML-enabled software-defined solution that integrates seamlessly with industry standards. Additionally, BLUEiQ’s Sensor-as-a-Service model makes the OpenEar accessible to organizations of all sizes and budgets, allowing for wider adoption of PAM projects and solutions across global sectors.
Current Progress
BLUEiQ completed various deployments of OpenEar, proving its suitability for real-time NARW detection and localization and for carrying out other applications for marine defense and security purposes. Recently, BLUEiQ demonstrated how its EdgeAI technology identified and detected targets of interest underwater at BlueTide 2024. By integrating their OpenEar acoustics data with IBM and Amazon Web Services (AWS) S3 and leveraging advanced tools alongside their partners Bluemvmt and Sunfish Inc., they delivered AI-driven analytics to improve maritime domain awareness and surveillance. This demonstration validated the effectiveness of OpenEar and earned BLUEiQ two awards: the Persistent Sensing and Monitoring Award and the Technology Implementation Award.
The ON&T editorial team was onsite in Fort Lauderdale last month as the exclusive media partner of Ocean Exchange when BLUEiQ Founder & CTO Robert J. McGurrin sat down with us to share his thoughts on the importance of accelerator programs: “Ocean technology accelerators provide an essential platform for startups like BLUEiQ to collaborate, access resources, and scale faster. By connecting innovators with industry stakeholders, these accelerators drive technological advancements and solutions that align with sustainable ocean practices and economic growth.”
What’s Next?
In the pursuit of excellence in underwater acoustics, BLUEiQ is currently working with leading research institutions, defense organizations, and commercial partners to validate multiple applications of BLUEiQ’s technology and measure its impact in real-world scenarios. BLUEiQ’s OpenEar has already been deployed across a range of tech-focused projects to varying depths to track endangered marine species, detect vessels on and below the surface, and monitor underwater noise pollution.
Looking to the future, BLUEiQ is targeting the launch of new pilot programs with other institutions to prove OpenEar’s ability to detect and monitor other species, such as the bottlenose dolphin in the Indian River Lagoon in Florida.
As the exclusive media partner to the event, ON&T’s editorial team was onsite in late October, bringing readers all the news and insights from Fort Lauderdale. To find out more, visit: https://oceannews.com/featured-stories/accelerating-the-adoption-of-innovative-solutions-ocean-exchange-2024/
