SubSeaSail, LLC (SSS) based in San Diego, CA has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) to develop an affordable, user-friendly environmental monitoring and resource characterization vehicle for Marine and Hydrokinetic (MHK) ocean energy installations. Effective August 22, 2022, and building on the work in the SBIR Phase I, this Phase II funding for ASGUARD (“Advanced Sea Going & Underwater Autonomous Research Device”) is for two one-year periods totaling $1.15 MM..
ASGUARD is designed to work on the surface and continue to monitor and measure when submerged initially down to 30 meters and, later, down to 100 meters. ASGUARD is based on SSS’s patented semi-submersible, monohull vessel named HORUS after the ancient Egyptian god of the sky. It will address 3 risk areas related to environmental monitoring of MHK:
1. Collision risk: potential collisions of marine mammals and seabirds with devices;
2. Noise: the effect of MHK-generated sound on marine mammals and other species; and
3. Electromagnetic Fields (EMF): MHK-generated EMF may negatively impact marine mammal, fish, turtle, and crustacean behavior, hearing, health, hunting, or sense of direction..
ASGUARD will incorporate a unique SSS co-developed Passive Acoustic Array to monitor underwater soundscapes and – since marine life reacts to two different kinds of EMF (Electromagnetic Fields) – the development with a sub-contractor of a dual EMF sensor package with electric field (E-fields) and magnetic fields (B-fields) sensors. The ability to autonomously provide near and far field monitoring from a 100% renewable energy vessel that can sail to locations, maintain position, submerge for periods to listen/measure/monitor, return to the surface to monitor while re-charging batteries, transmit data, and remain at sea for extended periods for a fraction of the cost of other systems will be unique. This configuration will have additional applications across academia, government, military and private sector.
About SubSeaSail LLC:
SSS is a 5+-year-old, San Diego-based BlueTech company with a mission to develop autonomous, 100% energy harvesting, disruptively affordable, long-duration platforms & unique sensors. SSS is developing three lines of business: 1) monohull, semi-submersible OBSERVATION vessels named HORUS; 2) multi-hull, small-load CARGO vessels named HERMES; and 3) unique sensors ideally suited for these vessels including rigid Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Arrays and a multi-sensor mast stack. SubSeaSail vessels are “Designed for Simplicity” and backed by multiple patents including a monohull sailing vessel with the hull below the waterline and a passive wingsail control mechanism that provides autonomous management of the sail without any lines, pulleys, or electronics. This results in a revolutionary vessel design with low drag/wake and minimal detection signature (acoustic, IR, radar, visual). Designed for long duration and persistent missions, a servo is the only electro-mechanical device required to sail.
For more information, please contact Michael Jones, Managing Partner of SubSeaSail at mbjones@subseasail.com.
