A new robotic solution for marine energy biofouling is to be tested at the European Marine Energy Centre (Emec) in Orkney.
The project to develop an automated solution for subsea fouling has been launched as part of the second phase of an Innovate UK plan.
The two year Robots to Inspect, Maintain and Repair in Extreme and Challenging Environments (RoBFMS ) project will hope to create an automated robotic system to monitor, identify and clean biofouling from subsea structures.
Biofouling is the settlement and growth of organisms on submerged structures.
The issue is a “major challenge” for the marine renewable energy sector, according to Innovate UK.
The RoBFMS system will consist of a variety of sensors, navigation systems and camera equipment in order to monitor and detect fouling on submerged structures.
Led by Innovative Technology & Science Ltd (InnoTecUK), the project consortium brings together the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and Brunel University London.
Katie Hiscock, RoBFMS project manager from InnoTecUK, said: “Following a successful prototype phase, InnoTecUK are delighted to have received further research funding to work collaboratively with BUL and EMEC to provide innovative, safe and cost-effective solutions for off-shore robotic inspection and maintenance.
“We are excited with the developments and progress made so far and are keen to exploit the commercial benefits our system will bring to a host of sectors working within the marine environment.”
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