FarSounder Awarded Manufacturing Innovation Voucher to Advance AI‑Based Sonar Capabilities
FarSounder, a leader in 3D Forward Looking Sonar technology, has been awarded a Manufacturing Innovation Voucher by the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation. The award will support advanced research and development focused on integrating automatic target recognition into FarSounder’s end‑user sonar software.Under the Innovation Voucher program, FarSounder will build on an existing proof‑of‑concept to bring machine‑learning target recognition into a fully integrated software prototype. This work will introduce automated classification of key sonar targets, focusing on seafloor features, wake‑related
Retiring the R/V Endeavor: Celebrating a Lifetime of Accomplishments and Memories
Brendan Thornton, Port Captain for the R/V Endeavor, and Erich Gruebel, Scientific Service Manager for the vessel, both in the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, joined Rhonda Moniz on the DEEP DIVE podcast to discuss the vessel and its accomplishments ahead of its retirement after 50 years of service.
Vatn Systems Acquires Crewless Marine
Vatn Systems, a defense technology company building autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for the US military, allied nations, and commercial customers, announced the acquisition of Crewless Marine, a Rhode Island-based company specializing in advanced underwater acoustic sensing and signal processing.Founded by former Navy engineers, Crewless Marine brings experience in torpedo acoustic systems, hydrophone manufacturing, and real-time signal processing. The acquisition strengthens Vatn's strategy to vertically integrate its tech stack to control critical technologies, reduce supply chain dependenci
Middle Schoolers Participate in NUWC Division Newport's Annual SeaPerch Derby
Derby held on December 6 at New Bedford High School in Massachusetts.Using a remote-controlled underwater vehicle known as a SeaPerch, which was constructed by the students, participating teams hailed from five middle schools—Normandin, Keith and Roosevelt in New Bedford; Kickemuit in Warren, Rhode Island; and Pennfield in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.With assistance from Division Newport scientists and engineers, the SeaPerch Derby regional competition is designed to promote excellence and interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. It gives the students basic skills
USV Provides Near Real-Time Deep Ocean Current Observations
Sonardyne and SeaTrac Systems used advanced sensors and uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) to deliver science-ready deep ocean current data on the Gulf’s Loop Current System, direct to scientists’ desks in near real-time.The project, commissioned and in collaboration with the University of Rhode Island (URI), opens the door to reliable, on-demand and sustained high-resolution observations of powerful and dynamic ocean systems, without the need to send people offshore.In turn, this boosts scientists’ ability to improve predictive models, helping industry and science understand and mitigate
NUWC Division Newport Hosts Warfighters Panel, ‘Cup O’ Joe’ to Celebrate Veterans
, which gives employees a chance to discuss their experiences in the military and swap stories over coffee.Among the attendees were Susan Balcirak, head of the Signal Processing and Analysis Branch, and her husband Dean Balcirak, head of the Information Customer Services Branch. The North Kingstown, Rhode Island, couple met during their freshman year at the U.S. Naval Academy when they were paired together on a boat for the sailing team. Dean, who grew up in the Great Lakes region of Michigan and was recruited to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, was the skipper, while Susan served as crew
URI Hosts Global Ocean Technology Conference
The University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island Sea Grant recently hosted the Marine Technology Society’s annual TechSurge conference. The three-day event convened approximately 120 attendees from around the world at URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography on the Narragansett Bay Campus.The conference, which focused on fisheries and benthic monitoring for offshore development, featured lectures, workshops, networking events, and a “Tech Cafe” for fostering industry and student connections. Tours of the Narragansett Bay Campus and highlighted ocean technology laboratories and
Sonardyne Technology Selected for New Oceanographic Research Vessels
requirements.The first system has recently been delivered to Oregon State University to be fitted to the R/V Taani, to be operated by the university, by vessel builder Bollinger Houma Shipyards.Systems for the other two vessels, R/V Narragansett Dawn (to be operated by a University of Rhode Island-led consortium) and the R/V Gilbert R. Mason (to be operated by the Gulf-Caribbean Oceanographic Consortium) will be delivered next year.Sonardyne's Ranger 2 will allow US researchers to accurately track and simultaneously communicate with multiple underwater scientific instruments, vehicles
Seismometers Retrieved for Slow-Slip Earthquake Study
;this time focusing on the Hawke’s Bay region, a different portion of the Hikurangi plate boundary where slow slip earthquakes are also observed.Earth Sciences New Zealand, GEOMAR, University of Tokyo, Kyōto University, Tōhoku University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and the University of Rhode Island are the research partners on this project. Scientific research funding for this project has come from New Zealand's Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment, Germany’s Helmholtz Association, the United States National Science Foundation, and Japanese government science funding
December 2025
