On June 4, during the “Expo of Innovative and Sustainable Solutions” at the Genova Blue District, Spoke 3 and Spoke 4 of RAISE took part in the Blue Festival with three demonstrations focused on marine environmental monitoring.
The initiative is part of the Blue Festival, a city-wide event dedicated to climate, oceans, and biodiversity, held from June 3 to 14. The festival features exhibitions, workshops, talks, performances, screenings, gaming, and a showcase of innovative solutions.
During the event, three prototypes were presented by CNR-IAS and ETT: OpenCTD, @lgawarning, and an ROV equipped with biofouling analysis technology.
OpenCTD is a tool for measuring marine temperature and salinity. Compact and easy to handle, it enables fast and reliable collection of physico-chemical data in water. The process involves a simple manual start, immersion to stabilize the sensors, and subsequent data retrieval via SD card. Ease of use is combined with good precision in environmental data collection.
@lgawarning is an integrated system for monitoring algal blooms, based on a sampling kit and a mobile app with GPS functionality. Users can collect and analyze water samples, take microscopic images using a smartphone, and generate georeferenced reports. The interface also helps visually identify the algae through an educational quiz, encouraging active participation from citizens and professionals. Within the RAISE project, an AI model is being trained on a photo database of toxic algae samples (e.g., Ostreopsis cf. ovata) to enable recognition of such species in environmental samples.
The third device is an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) equipped with software for assessing biofouling — the accumulation of organisms on surfaces exposed to seawater, such as ship hulls. This system employs deep learning techniques for visual analysis of submerged surfaces and has been developed as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Neural networks enable image segmentation to distinguish between clean surfaces, hard fouling, and soft fouling. Integration with the remotely operated vehicle allows for real-time analysis, with potential applications for sustainable management of marine infrastructure in accordance with IMO guidelines.
As part of efforts to monitor the health of marine ecosystems, “early warning systems” are being developed, combining environmental research and AI to analyze swimming movements and appendages of marine zooplankton organisms (such as crustaceans and cnidarians).
Spoke 3 contributes to the development of ecorobotics, an emerging field that combines robotics and artificial intelligence for environmental protection. Its contribution to the Blue Festival highlighted the strategic role of innovation in building a sustainable future.
Spoke 4 focuses on the development of smart and sustainable ports through the integration of robotics and AI systems. Its main goal is to make port operations safer, more efficient, and environmentally sustainable, including the implementation of tools to reduce environmental impact.
All events are free of charge. The full program is available on the official website.
