KOCHI: The department of electronics at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) started collaborating with Sony Corporation to develop an intelligent acoustic sensor node network to study marine habitats.
The collaboration is part of Sony’s Sensing Solution University Program, which is designed to build partnerships with university research groups that develop innovative and useful ways of using various sensors and micro-controllers from Sony and other companies.
A MoU regarding the same has been handed over virtually between Cusat and Sony during a videoconference held on Wednesday. The meet was attended by Cusat vice-chancellor K N Madhusoodanan, pro vice-chancellor P G Sankaran and electronics department head M H Supriya.
The project is to develop the sensor network to help fill the gap in the global efforts to collect, monitor and analyze acoustic noise pollution in the ocean and understand its threat on marine habitats. The system helps to intelligently monitor the acoustic landscape of the ocean with near-zero human intervention.
Once the network is developed, it will be deployed on the seafloor or semi-buoyant platforms across large regions of the ocean which can monitor marine habitats.
Cusat said that the increased human activities in the ocean accounts for underwater noise pollution and changes in the acoustic noise landscape of the ocean severely affect marine habitats. It is noticed that the ambient background noise interferes with the sense of hearing of marine mammals, making it harder for them to hunt, navigate and communicate, eventually leading to extinction. At present the marine environment is very noisy, and most of the noise is manmade.
“There is a need to monitor the acoustic ambience of the ocean for mitigating the effect of noise pollution on the marine habitat. Marine mammals have developed their hearing for many reasons such as navigation, communication, and foraging.
Some animals use echolocation to determine the distance from objects including prey and predators. For instance, dolphins use sonar clicks when they confront an object to determine its location. Noise trauma also damages the hearing and long exposure can often cause permanent dumbness.
Mammals often avoid noisy areas, which can be a problem if these locations are important feeding or breeding grounds,” said a Cusat statement.
