Technology is creating new ways to navigate waterways, but policy hasn’t kept pace.
The Smart Ships Coalition will meet at Michigan Tech on Sept. 15-16 to address the uncharted territory of autonomous and intelligent maritime systems. Representatives from companies, research institutions, government agencies and others interested in surface and subsurface autonomous vehicles and related technologies are welcome to attend the free workshop. The registration deadline is Wednesday, Aug. 31.
The Great Lakes Research Center, located on the campus waterfront, is home base for the Marine Autonomy Research Site (MARS), the first freshwater test bed of its kind in the world. Encompassing a 30-mile radius and multiple kinds of marine environments, it allows product and system developers to experiment in a controlled setting with local knowledge.
“Autonomy is maybe one way we can move goods safely and more efficiently,” said GLRC research engineer Travis White, who coordinates the coalition. “This is the best place in the nation to test out this technology. We have a unique environment, accessibility and an abundance of supporting resources available at Michigan Tech. Everything we’re doing here is applicable on a national scale.”
White expects 50 to 75 Smart Ships Coalition participants to attend the workshop. “At the workshop, coalition members will break into working groups to identify priority tasks and next steps to address,” he said. “We want all the participants to be actively involved in addressing topics that are important to their interests and organizations.”
Register for the workshop and learn more about the coalition and freshwater test bed in the full story on Michigan Tech News.
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