Urgent Action Needed to Address Water Pollution Across Europe
23 Oct 2024
Europe’s water resources are under severe pressure, and urgent action is required to safeguard human health and the environment. Two recent reports, most notably from the European Environment Agency (EEA), highlight the alarming state of Europe’s waters and call for immediate changes to policy and practice.
Despite repeated warnings, the European Commission has delayed updating the list of priority pollutants in EU waters, with the last updates occurring over a decade ago. Harmful substances like PFAS (forever chemicals), glyphosate, and pharmaceuticals continue to pose high risks to both human health and ecosystems. Pharmaceutical pollution, in particular, contributes to the rising threat of antibiotic resistance, a major public health concern. The Council is also using technical updates to weaken vital water protection standards, potentially opening the floodgates to more unregulated water pollution.
A recent EEA report further underscores that little progress has been made since 2009. Only 37% of surface waters, such as rivers and lakes, are in healthy condition, and nearly a quarter of groundwater bodies fail to meet chemical safety standards. Agriculture remains a significant contributor to water pollution, with nutrient and pesticide run-off affecting groundwater and surface waters alike. Additionally, pollution from coal-fired plants and structural alterations to rivers further deteriorate water quality.
The need for stricter implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is clear. However, Member States are pushing back against urgent measures, delaying action until 2033 and leaving vital waters exposed to ongoing harm. This inaction will have serious economic and health consequences for European citizens, with 78% of Europeans calling for more robust action from the EU to address the water crisis.
Solutions Are Within Reach
One solution to help address water pollution is the adoption of innovative technologies like RanMarine’s Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs). These aquatic drones, such as the WasteShark and MegaShark, and OilShark (launch 2025), can harvest waste, clean up oil spills, and collect real-time data on water quality. RanMarine’s ASVs provide a practical approach to cleaning and monitoring waterways, offering communities and decision-makers a tool to mitigate pollution while gathering the data needed for more effective water management policies.
With the next round of River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) due in 2025, there is still time to make significant strides. However, it is vital that EU policymakers act now to update water pollution standards and ensure the protection of Europe’s water resources.
‘Robot shark’ from startup RanMarine collects waste from the canals of Zaandam: Rotterdam company is aiming for ’round of millions’ to conquer the US
Frequent visitors to the Zaandam city center will have already seen him: the so-called ‘Veulvreter’. Here, in the Gedempte Gracht, a small white boat sails once a week with an insatiable hunger for waste. Floating cans, chip trays, PET bottles: this mini-catamaran eats everything that we humans would rather lose than be rich.
The ‘Veulvreter’, as it is called in Zaandam, is actually called WasteShark. It is a creation of the Rotterdam company RanMarine (in full: RanMarine Technology). After a charge, the electrically powered boat can search the water for six hours for waste, according to a pre-programmed zigzagging pattern. As a result, the ‘robot shark’ can remove up to 500 kilograms of waste from the water per day, according to the startup.
Zaanstad was the second Dutch municipality to launch the WasteShark in December, after Dordrecht had previously conducted a successful trial with the device. It saves time for employees of the municipal waste service in Zaandam, as they no longer have to fiddle with fishing nets to retrieve discarded cans from the canal.
Esther Lokhorst stands bent over one of her robot sharks in an old industrial building on a business park in the Rotterdam industrial area Nieuw Methesse. The interior can be described as a potpourri of wires and chips. A team of four young men works on the hardware and Lokhorst, as operational director, keeps an eye on things.
A little further in the open air we find a small water bath, which was installed here by RanMarine. Even though the sun is shining seductively this Wednesday afternoon, people are not supposed to take a dip in it. The only bather allowed is the WasteShark, which Lokhorst and her team test here after every refinement of the technique.
RanMarine’s WasteShark makes a tour of the test pool in Rotterdam. In the background operational director Esther Lokhorst (left) and founder Richard Hardiman.Photo: Business Insider Netherlands/Jelmer Luimstra
Sensor-equipped drones
The boats are in fact drones equipped with GPS and two sensors. The sensors measure the water quality and depth and forward this information to an online portal of RanMarine. “If, for example, dredging is required, customers immediately gain insight into how deep the soil is,” says Lokhorst.
Her company supplies floating drones that work completely autonomously, but also robot boats that you can control remotely. The robot boat can not only grab plastic waste from the water, but also duckweed. The company is currently investigating in Helsinki whether it is also possible to rid the water of blue-green algae.
No, the robot sharks are not a danger to passing birds, Lokhorst says when asked when we take a seat in a deserted, industrial-looking company canteen. “The boats only sail three kilometers per hour,” says the director. “In our five years of existence, we have never caught a bird or even a fish.”
RanMarine has so far sold more than fifty of these types of boats to 25 customers, says Lokhorst. Many of those customers come from abroad. For example, robot boats from the startup are sailing in the port of Houston, in Dallas and in Plymouth in the UK. The company has customers worldwide: from South Africa to South Korea and from Nigeria to Ireland.
Typical customers are government institutions and water boards, but theme parks are also part of the regular customer base. For example, RanMarine supplies its robot boats to Disney and Universal parks in Florida, among others. “America is a very important market for us,” says Lokhorst. “We are therefore now setting up an American division. We already have employees in the US and want to expand considerably.”
In time, this should result in an American office, says Lokhorst when asked. When, she can’t say yet. “For the time being, we will keep production and development here in Rotterdam. If we scale up considerably in the US, we will also start an assembly department there.”
In the Netherlands, Zaandam and Dordrecht are currently the only municipalities to which RanMarine supplies its aquadrones. It sometimes turns out to be quite complicated to hook up with municipalities. “The municipality is not always responsible for cleaning up waste. Some municipalities outsource this to cleaning companies.”
Lokhorst does state that its sales team is busy hooking up more Dutch municipalities. RanMarine even expects to start a project in the Wadden Sea soon.
Operations director Esther Lokhorst (left) of RanMarine joined the company in 2017. To the right of its founder Richard Hardiman. Business Insider Netherlands/ Jelmer Luimstra
Film WALL-E provided inspiration
Lokhorst is not the founder of RanMarine. The company was founded in 2016 by South African Richard Hardiman, who worked as a radio DJ and journalist in a previous life.
Hardiman came up with the idea of the garbage-eating robot shark when he was sitting on a terrace in Cape Town and saw people using a net to remove dirt from the water. There had to be an easier way, Hardiman thought. His mind wandered off to the film WALL-E, in which the leading role is played by a futuristic robot that collects and compresses waste.
A little further on, the bearded man in his forties is having a video call with a colleague from the US. Hardiman has been living in the Netherlands since 2020, where he saw more opportunities to succeed with his startup plan than in South Africa. He participated in a growth program of PortXL, a company affiliated with the port of Rotterdam, for which Lokhorst worked. She joined the then fledgling startup in 2017.
Now, six years later, the company already employs 23 people. RanMarine has been profitable since 2021, according to Lokhorst. The company does not share profit and turnover figures. From the most recent summary profit and loss account that the company filed with the Chamber of Commerce (KvK), it can be concluded that RamMarine closed 2021 with a positive equity capital of more than 7 tons.
RanMarine raised an unknown amount of growth financing twice in its existence. According to Lokhorst, a “serious round of millions” is planned for April. With the upcoming millions, RanMarine hopes to be able to grow faster, especially in the US. The company is also investing in the development of larger aquadrones and robot boats that can extract oil from the water.
Rapid growth also seems to be necessary. In 2019, RanMarine was the first party to market an aquadrone. The market is now busier, with competitors in France, China and the US. Nevertheless, Lokhorst does not see a major threat in this: “The market is large enough for several parties. The positive thing about more competition is that this technique will become better known as a way to remove rubbish from the water.”
If you look carefully, staring at the water, you will see it: a shark with a huge open mouth. But no fish, plankton or unsuspecting swimmers disappear into this shark’s mouth: the WasteShark catches plastic and other waste. RanMarine’s promising prototype has developed into a mature water robot that cleans water worldwide. Creator Richard Hardiman: ‘I am an inventor, I enjoy turning ideas into actual solutions.’
The idea for the WasteShark originated in South Africa, where Hardiman comes from. ‘I saw two people fishing rubbish out of the water with a fishing net. I thought: surely there must be a different and better way of doing that? A product that can clean up waste without anyone being present. Around the same time, I became a father and developed an interest in sustainability. I wanted to do something good, also in terms of work. And that’s how the idea for the WasteShark was born. I have an engineering background so I started building. In 2016 I came into contact with the PortXL programme that allowed me to develop my idea as part of my newly established startup RanMarine.’
Waterrobot
Hardiman ended up at RDM Rotterdam, where he continued to develop his shark: ‘The WasteShark is a mini-water robot that floats and can navigate autonomously. It scours the surface of the water for plastic, waste and pollution and other things that do not belong in the water. The WasteShark collects it in its ‘open mouth’ and brings it to the shore. The smart shark can also pick up natural material that impacts water quality, such as duckweed, algae and aquatic plants. In addition, the WasteShark collects data on water quality. For example, it can monitor whether outboard water is suitable for swimming.’
Practical
How large and heavy is the shark? Hardiman lists the specifications: ‘The WasteShark is controlled via 4G, has a range of 3 kilometres, reaches a speed of 3 kilometres per hour and can swim for about 6 hours. The water robot is 1.57 metres long, 1.09 metres wide, 52 centimetres high and weighs 75 kilos. Very manageable in other words.’
Easy to use
There are several people and organisations whose models retrieve waste from the water. How is WasteShark different from other solutions? Hardiman: ‘It is simple, elegant and efficient. It is emission-free and does not result in any other pollution in the water, and it is easy to deploy. That was also our aim. We wanted to design a tool that collects as much waste as possible in a simple and manageable way, and can be used easily and by as many people as possible. If you have a fairly large car, you can even transport it in the boot. So it’s user-friendly for a wide audience.’
Millions of sharks
How does Hardiman see the future? ‘I am not against plastic, it is a convenient product. But we do have a huge mountain of plastic waste entering the environment. It’s all about how to recycle plastic even better. We can make great strides in that and the WasteShark can contribute. My dream is to have millions of WasteSharks active all over the world. Not only to collect waste, but also to collect data. We need to know what is in our water and not just what is floating on it. Using that data, we can learn how to improve and maintain the quality of the water!’
Springboard
What does Rotterdam mean to Hardiman? ‘My original idea was to return to Cape Town, but the Port of Rotterdam is a springboard to the world of robotics and engineering. And there’s a strong network of companies here committed to sustainability worldwide. This will allow us to improve the WasteShark even further and expand its distribution. I started out on my own and now we have grown into a company with 25 people, thanks to Rotterdam. I am glad I stayed, because without the Port of Rotterdam, RanMarine would not be here!’
WasteSharks – Taking a bite out of water pollution
The state of the planet, and particularly our bodies of water, is becoming of greater concern every day. Some estimates are that one million plastic bottles are sold every minute across the globe, many of these ending up in waterways.
One man who is making a massive difference in that regard is Cape Town’s own, founder of RanMarine and the WasteShark – a marine vessel designed to both clear unwanted material from inland and near-coastal water, and to collect water quality data from the marine environment – that’s now operational in 12 countries around the world, including South Africa.
“The purpose of the WasteShark is to remove waste, litter (plastics) and harmful algae from the surface of the water. The idea is that, very much like a small autonomous vacuum cleaner… this machine can operate in a similar fashion, cleaning the water constantly,” explains Hardiman.
“Our purpose is to develop technology to make our world a more liveable place and ease the pressure humans are adding to our fragile water resources and ecosystems”
“The WasteShark and our developing platforms are part of the greater vision of making collection of waste and pollution in water more efficient, less costly and ultimately less harmful than current methods used,” he adds.
1. When was the WaterShark invented?
The WasteShark was invented as a concept in 2013 but wasn’t developed into a first prototype until 2015; in 2016 the founder Richard Hardiman was invited to enter a maritime accelerator in Rotterdam, the Netherlands where he received funding to develop the first version of the WasteShark we know today.
2. What was the motivation behind its invention?
The original idea came about when Richard saw how marine litter was then being cleaned by water authorities, using small boats and pool nets to remove the litter. Richard thought he could design and come up with a more effective way to remove waste from water using drones. The original motivation was a desire for greater efficiency but also led Richard into the environmental space where he saw just how effective new technology could be in helping our planet.
3. Where is the WaterShark being used? Where did it start off and how has it grown over the years?
The idea and concept were developed in Cape Town, South Africa and the very first prototype was built and tested there. Subsequently Richard moved the business to the Netherlands to develop the product and business further. Since 2016 drones now operate in the EU, Ireland, the UK, South Korea, India, Australia and the USA amongst others.
4. What purpose does it serve? How does it function?
The purpose of the WasteShark is to remove waste, litter (plastics) and harmful algae from the surface of the water. The idea is that very much like a small autonomous vacuum cleaner you may have in your house, this machine can operate in a similar fashion, cleaning the water constantly. RanMarine has developed two versions of the product, one that is remote controlled and an operator can remain on the quayside while cleaning and capturing waste. The second version is an autonomous robot that can be set to clean an area without human intervention and return with waste once it is full. It uses onboard lidar as collision avoidance and collects water quality data as it goes using sensors mounted onboard.
5. How does the product omit emissions?
The WasteShark uses batteries to operate so it does not emit any emissions while it is in use – like a battery-powered car, the WasteShark can be operated up to 10 hours a day on a single charge.
6. Are there any plans to further develop the WasteShark, and what do those plans look like?
RanMarine is launching a larger version in the next six months capable of removing one ton of waste in a single load, this has been developed over the last few years and will be on sale in the middle of the year; we are also developing a docking station which houses up to five WasteSharks at a time, empties their baskets automatically and recharges them making it a total autonomous solution where humans are only required for oversight.
SA Sailing in partnership with World Sailing are committed to reducing waste and together have released a cobranded Sustainability Education Programme for sailing clubs and parents as part of the 2030 Agenda of Sailing’s commitment to global sustainability.
If you would like to see WasteShark in your local waters, please contact RanMarine today and start the journey of reducing waste in South Africa.
CES 2023: MegaShark takes a bite out of marine trash
MegaShark gobbles up toxic plastic and marine litter.
Sharks are known for having stomachs of steel. The newest product from Dutch scale-up RanMarine Technologyis no exception.
One could describe the MegaShark as a robot vacuum for bodies of water. It’s a remotely piloted vessel that sits atop the water and scoots along with a wide-open mouth, sucking up debris and carting it back to shore.
The MegaShark hopes to tackle the ever-growing problem of polluted waterways, a particular concern here in Florida.
According to RanMarine Technology, there’s currently 200 million metric tons (approximately 220 U.S. tons) of toxic plastic in marine environments and another 11 million metric tons (or 12 U.S. tons) are added to the pile every year. The UN Environmental Program predicts the amount of new waste entering waterways will triple by 2040.
The MegaShark has an interesting digestive system too. According to RanMarine Technology, a startup of CleanTech Robotics, the seaworthy drone has an onboard trash compactor which allows it to scoop up as much waste as possible every time it hits the water.
The company said the device can be piloted remotely but is also hardy enough for users to sit or stand on it as it makes its rounds. The onboard battery will keep the MegaShark moving for about eight hours.
A bonus feature: The MegaShark packs all the necessary instruments for water quality analysis.
RanMarine plans to introduce two other “species” to its shark lineup.
The TenderShark is tailored to the boating community. The mini tender is able to carry light cargo loads efficiently and effectively from ship to shore, and vice versa. Users have the option to collect floating waste as the TenderShark makes its cargo runs.
Meanwhile, the SharkPod is what RanMarine describes as a “mothership” — it’s an autonomous floating docking station which can charge up to five WasteShark drones at a time. RanMarine said the solution will allow ports, harbors and cities to keep their drones chugging around the clock. The SharkPod will be available to purchase in early 2023.
Currently, RanMarine’s drones are sucking up garbage for the Port of Houston, Disney theme parks, Universal and the United Nations in addition to several other local and state authorities worldwide.
Drew Wilson covers legislative campaigns and fundraising for Florida Politics. He is a former editor at The Independent Florida Alligator and business correspondent at The Hollywood Reporter. Wilson, a University of Florida alumnus, covered the state economy and Legislature for LobbyTools and The Florida Current prior to joining Florida Politics.
Tech Solutions for a Responsible Future at CES 2023
The Kingdom of the Netherlands to Showcase 70 Companies with Tech Solutions for a Responsible Future at CES 2023
AMSTERDAM (PRWEB) NOVEMBER 22, 2022
The Netherlands’ CES 2023 delegation includes 40 startups in Eureka Park and 30 scale-ups in the Venetian Expo, with tech solutions that span sustainability and circularity, energy transition, battery tech, health and wellness, sports, safety, 5G, IoT, communications, space, nanotech, sensors, drones and robots, AI, big data, security, blockchain, AR/VR, edtech, quantum computing, integrated photonics, enterprise solutions and the future of work.
Returning for the seventh consecutive year, The Kingdom of the Netherlands, today announced the 70 Dutch startup and scale-up tech companies who will take part in the Netherlands (NL Tech) Pavilions, January 5 – 8 in Las Vegas at CES 2023, the global stage for innovation.
Dutch ingenuity and innovation has played a significant role in the world’s evolution over the past centuries. The 40 startup and 30 scale-up companies participating in the NL Pavilions at CES 2023 focus heavily on “Tech for a Responsible Future” and span a wide berth of tech categories that will define future economies, including: sustainability, electric and solar powered vehicles, battery tech, smart cities and smart homes, energy storage, health and wellness, AI and quantum computing, AR/VR, robotics, sensors and more. The Netherlands Startup Pavilion will be located in Eureka Park (Hall G, Booth 62100) in the Venetian Expo, and the Netherlands Next Level Pavilion will be located upstairs in the Venetian Expo(Hall A-C, Booth 55332). Preview the CES 2023 NL Tech Pavilion companies here.
The Netherlands is one of Europe’s largest technology hubs, with 2.6 times as many startups per-one-million residents as the European average — and is ranked among the top five globally in terms of public technology companies in total market capitalization. “The Netherlands sees entrepreneurship and innovation as essential to address the world’s most urgent challenges,” said HRH Prince Constantijn van Oranje, Special Envoy to Techleap.nl. “The presentation of 70 impact ventures at the NL Pavilions at CES 2023 demonstrates the Netherlands’ ambition to lead positive societal change. Over the years we have experienced that CES offers an outstanding opportunity for our Dutch startups and scale-ups to engage with an international audience of like-minded tech entrepreneurs, investors, potential partners and the media.”
The 70 Dutch technology companies and their solutions featured at CES 2023 include:
SUSTAINABILITY AND CIRCULARITY:
AgXeed: Designs, builds and delivers autonomous units for agriculture. (Startup)
CarbonX: New carbon material that helps tire makers meet the increasing demand for sustainability, safety and performance. (Startup)
Dayrize: The global leader for rapid climate impact assessment of consumer products.(Startup)
GSES: One-stop sustainability platform, translating over 550 existing international sustainability standards into a universal score and explanation. (Scale-up)
iTapToo: A zero-waste solution to refill bottles with a healthy & delicious alternative to traditional sodas. (Startup)
Leadax: Manufacturers of highly circular and sustainable flat roofing made from unusable plastic waste. (Scale-up)
OneThird: Predicts shelf-life of fresh produce, enabling real-time decisions in the food supply chain and prevents food waste. (Startup and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
Orbisk: Monitors and reduces food waste in professional kitchens by employing progressive AI technology that improves sustainability and profitability. (Startup)
RanMarine: Developer of the patented WasteShark, the world’s first autonomous aquadrone that cleans pollution from waterways and collects data about water quality. (Scale-up)
Steambox Self-heating, rechargeable lunch box that allows you to enjoy a hot meal anywhere, anytime. (Startup)
Wastewatchers: AI-driven forecasting and food waste monitoring for food service companies. (Startup)
ENERGY TRANSITION AND BATTERY TECHNOLOGY:
Advanced Climate Systems: Next-gen building intelligence for installation and property management. (Scale-up and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
eLstar Dynamics: Patented technology for manufacturing the world’s most effective, versatile, attainable dynamic glass. (Startup)
Greener Power Solutions: Reduces the CO2 footprint of temporary power markets by using its own fleet of large batteries and in-house energy management software. (Scale-up)
Ixora: Manufacturer of future generation electronic and immersion cooling technologies that contribute to the energy transition. (Scale-up)
LeydenJar: Creator of a sustainable super battery that uses ultra-thin pure silicon battery anodes to produce Li-Ion batteries that possess 70% more energy density than current battery designs, and produce a lower CO2 footprint with significant cost savings. (Scale-up and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
Nowi: A semiconductor company that specializes in the development of energy-harvesting power management technology for consumer electronics and IoT devices. (Scale-up)
Supersola: Plug-and-play solar panels. Works on wall sockets worldwide. (Scale-up and CES Innovation Award Honoree).
HEALTH, SPORTS AND SAFETY:
Alphabeats: EEG-based mental training that uses music and neurofeedback to improve performance in elite athletes. (Startup and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
AYAVAYA: A “magic cabin” that uses patented, scientifically-tested technology to reduce stress and recharge the user’s energy, focus and mental balance within 20 minutes. (Startup)
ChatLicense: AI-powered gamified platform to make a diploma part of owning a smartphone. (Startup)
Crdl: Human-centered interaction design to create meaningful connections between people with physical or cognitive impairment and their caregivers. (Startup and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
Kepler Vision: AI-powered sensor technology that recognizes falls in elderly care within less than one minute; the most reliable fall detection technology in healthcare. (Scale-up)
Moovd: Bridges the gap between the growing (digital) healthcare needs of patients who don’t have therapists and the lack of psychologists. (Startup)
Neurocast: True, passive patient monitoring that provides doctors and researchers with 24/7 digital biomarkers for measuring patient performance based on real-world evidence. GDPR and HIPAA compliant and ISO 27001 certified. (Startup)
Nostics: Instant, accessible, reliable testing for viruses and bacteria, including the world’s smallest portable bacteria identification lab that uses cloud-based, machine learning algorithms to identify bacterial species in five minutes, without the need for expert users or expensive lab infrastructure. (Startup)
NOWATCH: The world’s first ‘Awareable’ – a wrist-worn health device and app that combines bio-tracking with mindfulness and real-time feedback about movement, sleep, stress and recovery tools to restore balance faster and help you live in the NOW. (Startup)
SmartQare: Medical 24/7 monitoring solution for data-driven clinical decision support in remote patient care. (Startup)
SOVN: In-ear wearable that detects and reduces excessive teeth grinding and clenching. (Startup and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
TrueKinetix: Invented and launched the world’s first robotic smart bike. (Scale-up and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
VRelax: Scientifically-validated virtual reality app to relieve stress and improve mental health. (Startup)
AR/VR:
Dimenco: Simulated Reality (SR) display technology that allows you to experience virtual 3D objects in your own environment — without the use of glasses or other wearables. (Scale-up)
Xinaps: Deliver cloud-based solutions for the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry to improve the quality of building data and contribute to a more efficient and simpler building process. (Startup)
SMART CITIES AND SMART MOBILITY:
Hydraloop: Integrating clean tech, decentralized water recycling solutions in residential and commercial real estate to solve a growing worldwide scarcity of freshwater supply. (Scale-up and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
Squad Mobility: The world’s first Solar City Car for sharing and private use. The ultimate smart urban mobility solution for emissions, congestion and parking. (Scale-up)
Trunkrs: Same and next-day delivery service striving for 100% emission-free delivery. (Scale-up)
5G, IOT, COMMUNICATIONS AND SPACE:
Capestone: One-stop-shop distributor and service provider of 5G, IoT and AR hardware and connectivity. (Scale-up)
Dexper Digital Events: VOD platform that streamlines hosting world-class digital events. (Scale-up)
Homey: Unifies all smart home products in a single smart home hub. (Scale-up)
InPhocal: A unique, concentric laser beam that reduces the need for ink and is 2.5 times faster than printing. (Startup)
Livery Video: an irresistibly fun, shoppable and engaging video platform for businesses, media and influencers. (Startup)
Nuwa: A magical new way to write digitally. Groundbreaking camera system for stunning details. Powered by the world’s most efficient 5 mm chip. (Startup)
Occam Dx: A disruptive, real-time, accurate diagnostic platform using simple nanoelectronics that can detect a single virus particle. (Startup)
SODAQ: Durable tracking and sensing solutions, producing solar-powered IoT hardware for enterprise-sized deployments. (Scale-up)
Tradecast: The Tradecast Video Management System brings industry-leading tools to every content owner looking to become an independent broadcaster. (Scale-up)
Whispp: AI-powered speech technology that converts whispered speech into the person’s natural voice, wíth the intonation and emotion you intended, in real time. (Startup)
NANOTECHNOLOGY, SENSORS, DRONES AND ROBOTS:
Addoptics: Scale prototyping and production with affordable, industrial-quality optics. (Scale-up)
MantiSpectra: NIR (Near Infrared) spectroscopy on a miniaturized spectral chip that can accurately measure material properties in real-time using just light. Enables portable NIR spectroscopy. (Startup)
Morphotonics: Nanotechnology for micro and nano-scale surfaces for nextgen mobile device screens, immersive AR glasses, higher efficiency solar panels and high-accuracy sensors. (Scale-up)
Sorama: Ground-breaking acoustic cameras used globally within OEM and R&D acoustic, design departments, noise reduction, smart cities, smart stadiums and industrial inspection. (Scale-up)
Starnus Technology: Developers of a highly flexible autonomous mobile robot (AMR) solution, which allows third-party logistics (3PL) companies to deal with their rapidly changing operations. (Startup)
AI, BIG DATA, BLOCKCHAIN AND SECURITY:
BrainCreators: AI-powered digital inspector. (Scale-up)
Bubl Cloud: Restarting privacy safe innovation on personal data, by enabling innovators to create privacy-safe services in the cloud. (Startup)
IntrinsicID: Provider of security IP for embedded systems based on Physical Unclonable Functions (PUF) technology. (Scale-up)
Naya: Develops an ecosystem that empowers digital creators. Naya Create is a modular keyboard that increases efficiency, flexibility and health. (Startup)
TokenMe: Breakthrough construction-monitoring solution, improving productivity, safety and security using mobile sensors, AI and real-time dashboard. (Startup and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
QUANTUM COMPUTING AND INTEGRATED PHOTONICS:
Quix Quantum: The world’s most powerful Quantum Photonic Processor for photonic quantum computing and information processing. (Scale-up)
Sencure: Medical device company that develops high-end chips and medical wearables to accelerate and improve remote-patient monitoring. (Startup)
EDTECH:
RobotWise: Interactive, gamified programs for talent development with social robots as a tool, for schools and organizations. (Startup)
ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS:
Budget2Pay: A B2B digital platform that connects supply and demand together in a paperless world. (Startup)
UpMarqt: Accurately matches businesses with freelance talent within minutes. (Startup)
FUTURE OF WORK:
BUBTY: Flexible workforce management in a single system. (Startup)
DialogueTrainer: Nexten simulation platform for conversation training. (Scale-up and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
EZ Factory: SaaS-based platform for optimizing operational effectiveness and efficiency of factory floor operations. (Scale-up)
WorkBoost: WorkBoost app and dashboard are a micro-activation and feedback software system designed to provide managers, consultants and coaches the necessary insights to maximize engagement. (Startup and CES Innovation Award Honoree)
Interested media and analysts who want to schedule an interview before or during CES 2023, please contact NLatCES2023@wearemgp.com.
About The Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Netherlands strives to solve societal and economic challenges with local and international partners. The country ranks sixth on the Global Innovation Index, and Amsterdam is one of the fastest growing ecosystems in Europe. As a trading nation, the Netherlands has continuously ranked as one of the top five foreign investors in the U.S. for multiple years, making the Netherlands the number one country with which the U.S. maintains a trade surplus. More than 955K jobs in the United States are the result of the strong economic relations with the Netherlands.
The Consulate General of the Netherlands in San Francisco, in partnership with Holland in the Valley and the Dutch ecosystem in the San Francisco Bay Area, empowers Dutch entrepreneurs and talent to innovate and scale in the U.S. by offering a network, content and programs. Learn more at United States | Netherlandsandyou.nl.
CONSERVATION SCIENTISTS HAVE UNLOCKED THE MYSTERIES OF HOW SHARK AND RAY SPECIES MOVE UP AND DOWN THE OCEAN WATER COLUMN, IN EFFORTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEM AND SECURE THEIR FUTURE.
While we start to understand some of the migration patterns of certain shark species and have begun to pinpoint some of their meeting spots, the mysterious lives of sharks and rays in the deeper ocean columns has not been extensively studied – until now. From some of the most mysterious deep-diving species, to those that spend more time in shallower water, a new study, led by ZSL’s Institute of Zoology and Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University, is the first ever global analysis of shark diving behaviour. A collaborative research team shows how the elasmobranch community which includes sharks, skates and rays use the vertical dimension of the ocean.
Using data from 989 biotelemetry tags – tags which allow remote measurements of behavioural activity – the global team of 171 researchers from 135 institutions analysed 38 species of elasmobranchs from the North Pacific to the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic to the Caribbean. The researchers hope that this new information on shark diving behaviour will help improve the knowledge about sharks’ ecological roles and foster conservation management plans that were previously hindered by lack of data for certain species.
Thirteen species were found to dive to depths greater than one kilometre beneath the surface. Whale sharks were found to dive to a staggering 1,896m while great white sharks were recorded diving deeper than 1,200m, providing new and important insights into the behaviour of these ocean giants.
“Knowing just how deep some species dive (or don’t dive), will help us to inform much needed conservation plans for these species and their relatives – for example, more widespread use of bycatch avoidance strategies. It will also help us understand how these animals are likely to respond to the predicted climate induced changes to our oceans,” explains Dr David Curnick, research fellow at the ZSL Institute of Zoology and co-lead author of the paper.
WHALE SHARKS WERE FOUND TO DIVE TO A STAGGERING 1,896M WHILE GREAT WHITE SHARKS WERE RECORDED DIVING DEEPER THAN 1,200M
The data on shark diving behaviour also revealed how some species vary their depth in different parts of the world. It showed how this changes between night and daytime periods as the predators move up and down in the water to hunt their prey and, in some cases, avoid being hunted themselves. Although the reasons why species usually known to frequent shallower waters were recorded diving into deep, dark waters is not confirmed, the study suggests it is likely a combination of seeking food sources, body temperature regulation, reproduction, and predator avoidance.
The team found that although many species can and will undertake deep dives, 26 of 38 species including the oceanic whitetip shark, tiger shark, scalloped hammerhead, and silky shark spent more than 95% of their time in the top 250m of the water column, depths where they are most likely to interact with fishing gears.
INVESTIGATING HOW ELASMOBRANCHS USE THE VERTICAL DIMENSIONS OF THEIR HABITAT IS KEY IN UNDERSTANDING THE WAY THEY LIVE.
Dr Curnick says: “The way that large marine animals use the horizontal space in our ocean has been well studied. However, until now, comparative studies in the vertical planes have been limited, despite the ocean being an average 3.5km deep and elasmobranchs occupying all levels within this dynamic environment.
“Investigating how elasmobranchs use the vertical dimensions of their habitat is key in understanding the way they live, but also how anthropogenic stressors are impacting them. This helps us to find ways to better protect them through more informed monitoring strategies for example. By looking at a wide range of elasmobranch species in this study, we demonstrate how they face overlapping risks, such as targeted fisheries and getting caught in nets, also known as ‘bycatch’.”
More than one third of all sharks and rays are threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Having a three-dimensional map of how elasmobranchs use the ocean is vital in understanding the roles they play in wider ecosystems and to determine their individual exposure to threats.
“This massive dataset provides new insights into the vertical movement patterns of sharks and rays on a global scale for the first time. This is an important step for both understanding which sharks and rays are most likely to face threats, but also to consider how changing temperature and oxygen levels may influence their vertical distributions,” comments Stanford Postdoctoral Research Fellow and co-lead author of the paper, Dr Samantha Andrzejaczek.
MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF ALL SHARKS AND RAYS ARE THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION.
As the world warms due to climate change, it is predicted that the structure of the ocean is also going to change. With many areas suffering oxygen depletion and shifts in ocean chemistry, many species have already been driven into unfamiliar territory and habitats. However, a better understanding of their fundamental ecology can inform predictions on how reduced oxygen availability at certain depths could limit shark, ray and skate vertical movements and help to predict the wider implications of climate change.
“I’ve seen for myself the terrible threats that shark populations face around the world and how they have been decimated in recent decades. I hope that this incredible research will help scientists, conservationists and fisheries managers better protect these astonishing – and hugely important – species in the future so that they can retain their rightful place in the ocean,” concludes Ernesto Bertarelli of the Bertarelli Foundation.
Additional photographs by Alex Kydd, Guy Stevens (Manta Trust), Mark Royer, and Uli Kunz.
Boat Helps Clear the Waters of the Great Lakes
Aquatic trash boat scooping up marine debris all summer long
To the best of scientists’ knowledge, there is no version of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Great Lakes, but that doesn’t mean everyone is waiting until a huge trash vortex accumulates to address marine debris.
“People see the big pictures in the ocean, the big gyres of garbage, but they don’t realize that there’s 22,000 pounds of plastics that are put into the Great Lakes every year,” said Greg Kleinheinz, a University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh professor of environmental engineering technology who also chairs the department and is the Viessmann Chair of Sustainable Technology. “It’s an emerging and significant issue.”
Kleinheinz’s statistic came from the Rochester Institute of Technology, which inventories and tracks high concentrations of plastic in the Great Lakes. The institute estimates that the equivalent of approximately 100 Olympic-sized pools full of plastic bottles is dumped annually into Lake Michigan alone.
Garbage that pollutes U.S. rivers, lakes, streams and creeks is considered “aquatic trash” by the Environmental Protection Agency. That aquatic trash becomes “marine debris” once it reaches the ocean or the Great Lakes. Marine debris, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is defined as “any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and [is] directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes. Anything human-made and solid can become marine debris once lost or littered in these aquatic environments.”
(From left) Nicole Cochems, a UW-Eau Claire geology major, with Sara Pabich, a Door County resident who graduated this year from UW-Madison. In the foreground is Greg Kleinheinz, a UW-Oshkosh professor of environmental engineering technology. Photo by Rachel Lukas.
Plastic waste is particularly concerning because it’s used widely and never really goes away. Instead, sun exposure, waves and temperature changes break the plastics down into smaller and smaller pieces until they become “microplastics” of about 5 millimeters or smaller. (There are about 25 millimeters in an inch.)
Microplastics remain in the water or wash up on land and are very difficult to remove. Aquatic organisms eat microplastics and the chemicals they carry, and in that way, plastics make their way up the food chain.
“Finding plastic particles is one thing,” Kleinheinz said. “What kind of health effects do they have on fish or macroinvertebrates, which relates to sport fishing? People don’t understand all that.”
First Trash Boat in Wisconsin, First Trash Drone in U.S.
Understanding requires research, and research requires people gathering data in the field and in the lab.
Meet Nicole Cochems, a UW-Eau Claire geology major who’s entering her third year, and Sara Pabich, a Door County resident who graduated this year from UW-Madison with a degree in economics and environmental studies.
The two, along with Kleinheinz, launched a pontoon-style boat off Sawyer Park in Sturgeon Bay one early-July morning. They are two of seven students hired this year to work for UW-Oshkosh out of a rented home in Baileys Harbor. They and the other students – UW-Stout, UW-Oshkosh and Michigan Tech are also represented – were selected from four times as many applicants.
“It’s probably the most popular program we run,” Kleinheinz said. “They make a little money to help fund their education; they get to be in a great place [where] most people don’t have an opportunity to live; and they get to learn both field and laboratory skills in some area that’s related to whatever their career path is.”
Their primary role is working with Wisconsin’s Beach Monitoring Program. Throughout the summer, they test beach-water samples from 32 of Door County’s 54 beaches for E. coli, a bacterium that indicates the presence of pathogens that can cause illness. If E. coli levels are high enough, they issue beach-water advisories or closures.
The marine drone used on the trash boat is the first of its kind in the United States. Photo by Rachel Lukas.
Nicole Cochems remotely pilots the marine drone in tighter areas. Photo by Rachel Lukas.
Kleinheinz has been running the program since 2003 and usually pairs it with another research project. His groups have tackled beach economics, beach remediation and beach microbial source identification, to list a few.
“In this case, this year, we have a trash boat,” Kleinheinz said.
“Marine debris boat,” Pabich corrected.
The Marine Debris Mitigation Project boat is pontoon-style craft with a 50-horsepower Mercury motor that tops out at 5 mph. A large basket installed below deck scoops up all it encounters. Since May and through Labor Day, the students will collect aquatic trash weekly from four locations: the bay of Sturgeon Bay, the mouth of the Fox River in Green Bay, in Algoma/Kewaunee and in Manitowoc.
A marine drone docked on deck is swung into the water to navigate remotely around boats in the closer quarters of marinas using a tablet-like device. It, too, is equipped with a basket and has a range of up to 1,200 feet from the boat’s operator.
The students also collect water samples that are filtered in the lab to determine the quantities and types of microplastics that are present.
After a day on the water, they return to Crossroads at Big Creek, where they dock the boat and empty the basket contents. Some of the most commonly found forms of plastics in Great Lakes waters include plastic pieces, cigarettes and filters, foam pieces, plastic bottles and caps, food wrappers and straws.
“This is kind of the worst scenario because we’re cleaning up what’s already in the water,” Kleinheinz said. “It would be better to prevent what’s going in there.”
To do that, they also identify and characterize what they’re finding.
“Then we can hopefully start an education campaign to prevent that,” Kleinheinz said.
Nicole Cochems leaves Sturgeon Bay’s west side behind as she captains the Marine Debris Mitigation Project boat in the bay of Sturgeon Bay. Photo by Rachel Lukas.
Once, they found a tire. Mostly they find pop bottles. Sometimes, the catch is only seaweed and dead alewives.
“We don’t want to see trash, but I was thinking there was going to be tons and tons of trash in there,” Cochems said. “I was not expecting to see as little as we’ve found.”
They’d been collecting debris for only a few weeks at that time, however. As the water and beach activities of the summer continued, they were expecting more.
“It would be exciting if we found a big pile of trash floating around, and we could scoop it all up, but on the other hand, that would be pretty depressing,” Kleinheinz said. “It’s good news for the community and the water that we’re not seeing big piles.”
The marine debris boat, funded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Trash Free Waters Program, is Wisconsin’s first. And this is the first research group in the country to get the marine drone.
“A lot of times you’ll see trash boats in places like Chicago and Baltimore – really big metropolitan areas,” Kleinheinz said. “But when you look at the number of marinas, for example, in Sturgeon Bay and Door County, it’s pretty significant.”
At the end of the summer, the researchers will have a good set of data to work with.
“I think Door County is lucky that UW-Oshkosh has funding to do stuff like this in Door County,” Pabich said. “Once we get a better understanding of where the trash is, we can start those educational campaigns.”
“This is just one more aspect of how we can keep resources here clean – because it’s vital,” Kleinheinz added. “Not only to the society and culture of the county, but the economics of it as well.”
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words Water Quality? We bet you think of your drinking water and whether or not it’s actually safe to drink. You might even think of a water filtration system that cleans your drinking water.
But water quality refers to more than just your drinking water.
Take rivers, for example. Testing the water quality in rivers allows us to know the biological factors that could be impacting aquatic life and ecosystems.
Why we must monitor our waters
Things like algae and phytoplankton have a huge influence on rivers since they can affect groundwater. Monitoring the rivers can help researchers predict, learn and determine the human impacts on these sensitive ecosystems. Measuring the water quality in these bodies of water can also determine if restoration projects need to be undertaken or simply to determine if the water quality meets environmental standards.
Algae and plankton
Algae are plant-like organisms found in rivers, lakes, ponds and oceans. And even in snow. They come in a variety of structures, from simple plankton to large seaweeds. Single-cell phytoplankton float on the water but can, at times, grow in colonies large enough to be seen. While they have plant-like abilities, they are not actually plants.
Phytoplankton falls into two classes, namely algae and cyanobacteria. Most freshwater phytoplankton is made up of green algae and cyanobacteria, (which is also known as blue-green algae), and is actually a type of bacteria. Cyanobacteria are literally the only bacteria that contain chlorophyll. (The bluish tint that you see in blue-green algae actually comes from their pigments called phycoerythrin and phycocyanin).
Macroalgae (seaweeds), on the other hand, generally attach themselves to the ocean floor (except seaweeds like Sargassum that actually float on the surface of the water and do not attach to the floor bed).
When phytoplankton and macroalgae growth gets out of control, they can pose dangers to aquatic life. Monitoring these levels is therefore crucial to maintaining balance in the ecosystems where they live.
Dissolved oxygen
Another water quality test that is generally undertaken is dissolved oxygen levels. Dissolved oxygen basically refers to the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water that is available to aquatic life. Testing these levels is important because of its influence on the organisms living within that body of water. When these levels are too high or too low aquatic life can become affected, as can the water quality.
All forms of aquatic life depend on dissolved oxygen, including plants, fish, invertebrates and bacteria. Aquatic life that lives on the ocean floor or in deeper waters need less dissolved oxygen, while those living in shallow waters need more. It might surprise you to learn that organisms responsible for decomposing organic matter at the bottom of the ocean, such as bacteria and fungi, also use dissolved oxygen to help them do their work.
In a stable body of water with no stratification (a system or formation of layers), dissolved oxygen will remain at 100% air saturation. However, the deeper you go, the less dissolved oxygen you will find. This is primarily due to the fact that these deeper waters have not been in contact with air. The actual amount of dissolved oxygen will vary depending on things like water temperature, salinity and pressure.
But how exactly does low dissolved oxygen levels affect aquatic life?
Let’s take a closer look at salmon and trout which are cold-water fish. These fish will generally avoid waters where the dissolved oxygen levels are too low because low levels will cause them to die within a matter of days.
Furthermore, low levels of dissolved oxygen will not only delay the hatching of their eggs but will also impair their growth and lower their rate of survival. Carp, on the other hand, are slightly hardier and can survive and thrive in waters with lower dissolved oxygen levels. It goes without saying then that if dissolved oxygen levels in rivers and oceans drop too low, the fish in those regions will begin to die off.
Equally, if dissolved oxygen levels are too high, this also creates problems as supersaturated water can cause gas bubble disease in fish and invertebrates. Gas bubble disease in fish is the equivalent to “the bends” in scuba divers. Fish can easily die from gas bubble disease, and since they might not show symptoms, it makes it difficult for researchers to diagnose them.
Dead Zones
A dead zone is an area of water where there is little to no dissolved oxygen. This usually occurs when there are too many nutrients like phosphorous and nitrogen in the water, causing blue-green algae overgrowth. Needless to say, aquatic life cannot survive in these zones which are usually found near heavy human populations. And humans are usually the cause of dead zones due to agricultural and industrial activities.
In developed countries, manure and fertilizers are the main culprits, while in developing countries untreated wastewater from sewage and industry are the culprits. Since these facilities are less regulated than in developed countries, wastewater is often dumped into rivers, lakes, creeks or the ocean.
Water Quality testing has therefore become crucially important if we are to ensure that both our aquatic life and humans survive.
One such company that offers a combined solution to both water quality testing and clearing of pollution from bodies of water is RanMarine Technology.
Their WasteShark and DataShark collect data that is geotagged and timestamped to give an accurate picture of the water quality health within an ecosystem, thus allowing one to accurately monitor the quality of the water to help verify compliance with pollution regulations, identify potential contaminants early to minimize the impact on the environment and, basically, to make the water safe for everyone to enjoy.
It’s thanks to advances in water quality testing like these that we are able to enjoy clean drinking water and being able to swim safely in rivers and lakes
