401 Tech Bridge, a Middletown, Rhode Island nonprofit, will host BlueTIDE 2024’s signature demonstration event on August 29, 2024. A joint event between 401 Tech Bridge, the U.S. Navy and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, the event will provide participants with the opportunity to test and evaluate new maritime technologies.
The demonstration will feature six teams from Rhode Island, New Zealand and the United States competing in a series of mission scenarios focused on subsea and multi-domain communications, digital twin and virtual world modeling and simulation, persistent surveillance and sensing, and autonomous and unmanned systems.
“While the Navy regularly conducts exercises, this demonstration event will take place outside the Navy fence, meaning private sector investors and markets can see the technology side-by-side with that of the military sector,” said 401 Tech Bridge Director Eric Brine. “This is a more efficient and effective way for defense organizations to scout emerging technologies.”
“BlueTIDE 2024 allows us to showcase technologies that will increase capacity and reduce costs for commerce and defense in the world's oceans,” Brine added. “We're seeing some ingenious and interesting things that could put less warfighters at risk and protect civilians.”
More about 401 Tech Bridge
401 Tech Bridge, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing innovation and commercializing emerging technologies, will host a signature event to promote advanced ocean technologies and connect innovators to conduct collaborative underwater “missions” and demonstrate their capabilities.
BlueTIDE 2024 is a one-day event spotlighting blue technology with shore-based interactive exhibits, company presentations, two high-tech “command centers” for analyzing mission data, and talks from maritime innovation advocates including U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, NavalX Deputy Director Scott Bewley, and Marie Bussière, technical director of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Newport branch.
401 Tech Bridge Director Eric Brine said the event showcases Rhode Island as a destination in the growing blue tech ecosystem and uniquely represents 401 Tech Bridge's mission to foster innovation, collaboration and commercialization. The day's activities will be funded in part by the Office of Naval Research's NavalX and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in partnership with Northeast Tech Bridge.
“While the Navy regularly conducts exercises, this demonstration event is being conducted outside the Navy's fences,” he noted. “This means private sector investors and markets can see the technology side-by-side with that of the military sector. This is a more efficient and effective way for defense organizations to scout emerging technologies.”
Linda Larsen, operations manager for 401 Tech Bridge, explained that the way 401 Tech Bridge designed the BlueTIDE 2024 demonstration lowers the barrier for small businesses to participate and increases the number of potential customers and partners they can meet at one event.
“In preparation for this event, companies are beginning to partner in ways they never imagined, with nearly all 18 companies collaborating with at least one other participating company to further their own missions,” Larsen said.
He added that all of the solutions being demonstrated are “dual-use technologies,” meaning they have both commercial and defense applications.
For example, New Zealand-based Starboard Maritime Intelligence's maritime domain awareness platform combines multiple layers of data to pinpoint vessel positions at sea and identify types of vessels – fishing vessels, cargo vessels, sailing vessels and threats – improving the maritime safety industry, which is predicted to grow to $47.8 billion by 2029.
“BlueTIDE 2024 allows us to showcase technologies that will increase capacity and reduce costs for commerce and defense in the world's oceans,” Brine said. “We're seeing some ingenious and interesting things that could put warfighters at risk and protect civilians.”
The data will be transmitted to two “command centers” at Sail Newport via infrastructure provided by event sponsors IBM, AWS and Verizon.
Attendees from the Department of Defense, venture capital firms, government agencies, industry partners, academic institutions and more can benefit from interactive demonstrations and presentations. Attendance is limited and requires pre-approval due to a variety of considerations and venue capacity.
For a tentative schedule of events, click here.
BlueTIDE participants demonstrate innovations on and underwater, as well as on land
Eighteen companies from Rhode Island, across the U.S. and as far away as New Zealand have formed six teams to participate in BlueTIDE 2024. Each team will tackle a mission scenario designed by the Navy.
The majority of participants will set sail from Sail Newport at Fort Adams State Park, with a smaller group setting sail from NUWC's Narragansett Bay Test Facility. All teams will tackle targeted tasks in four technical areas:
Subsea and multi-domain communications, digital twin and virtual world modelling and simulation, persistent surveillance and sensing, autonomous and unmanned systems.
An additional group of innovators will be introduced to emerging technologies in the waterfront “Showcase Alley.” For a complete list of participants, click here.
Bryne and Larsen introduced some of the companies that have been evaluated through previous demonstration days and selected to participate.
Rhode Island-based HavocAI was founded by a former Navy commander to develop unmanned surface vehicles. Ideal for low-cost “swarms” to aid defense, or for climate researchers and offshore energy operations to gather data over larger areas of the ocean. Canadian engineering firm Enginuity Inc. has opened a Middletown, Rhode Island, site to provide advanced engineering services and products, including heavy-duty connectors that can withstand the worst marine conditions. Rhode Island-based VATN Systems deploys autonomous underwater vehicles in a range of sizes that can be tossed off the side of a boat or dropped from a helicopter for search and sensing operations. Norway's Havguard AS is a dual-use-case startup with smart underwater communications solutions. The technology is inspired by animal behavior and leverages AI and frequency band reduction to reduce impact on aquatic life.
Emily Osberg, CEO of Havguard AS, said the company is excited to be participating in BlueTIDE 2024. “This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our innovations at the forefront of underwater technology,” she wrote on LinkedIn.
“We are incredibly proud to be part of this powerful tech ecosystem and want to express our utmost gratitude for the work and efforts put in by 401 Tech Bridge and the U.S. Navy in Rhode Island,” Osberg wrote.
About 401 Tech Bridge:
401 Tech Bridge is a non-profit organization committed to accelerating innovation and accelerating the commercialization of cutting-edge technologies. Through partnerships with industry, academia and government agencies, 401 Tech Bridge provides collaboration space, resources, access to equipment and funding. Additionally, programs such as tech scouting, technology showcases, experimentation scenarios and demo days further support and strengthen this innovation ecosystem.
401 Tech Bridge is an operating division of the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation and is supported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), the Office of Naval Research, the Rhode Island Corporation of Commerce, the Rhode Island Foundation, and the Van Beuren Charitable Foundation.
For more information, visit www.401TechBridge.org.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) helped What'sUpNewp journalists report this story.
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