SMART-ME-TECH, Robótica inteligente para monitoreo ecológico
Project reference: PID2024-155344OB-C32
PI: Narcis Palomeras and Xavier Cufí
Budget: € 200.000
Duration: 1/9/2025 – 31/8/2029
The SMART-ME (Smart Monitoring of Marine Ecosystems) project is a pioneering initiative funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science that aims to establish a permanent, intelligent system for real-time ecological and technological monitoring in the deep Mediterranean Sea. Coordinated by the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), the project brings together leading research institutions to address one of the major challenges in marine science: understanding and monitoring deep-sea ecosystem recovery processes with high temporal and spatial resolution. The Universitat de Girona (UdG) plays a central role in SMART-ME, leading the technological development of autonomous systems that are essential for the success of this new generation of observatories.
OBSEA-DEEP Observatory
At the core of SMART-ME is the creation of OBSEA-DEEP, one of the first distributed and intelligent deep-sea observatories in Spain. The observatory will be deployed at 400 metres depth on the upper slope of the Catalan margin, within a recently established no-take marine reserve between Blanes and Palamós. This area is characterised by a complex mosaic of submarine canyons, rocky outcrops and soft sediment plains. The strategic location of OBSEA-DEEP will allow continuous monitoring of ecological dynamics across different habitat types, providing unprecedented insights into deep-sea processes in protected environments.
Autonomous and Robotic Innovation
Unlike traditional cabled observatories, SMART-ME relies on a network of autonomous and cooperative robotic platforms. These include:
- Multiparametric landers.
- Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
- Acoustic tagging systems.
Data transfer is ensured through pop-up buoys and a data-muling strategy enabled by Intervention-AUVs (I-AUVs). Another key innovation is the mobility of the landers, which can be autonomously repositioned on the seabed by the I-AUVs, allowing the observatory to adapt to the spatial heterogeneity of habitats.
The Role of UdG: SMART-ME TECH
The Universitat de Girona leads the SMART-ME TECH component, which focuses on advancing the autonomy and capabilities of the Girona I-AUVs. UdG’s work includes:
- High-resolution seabed surveys.
- Autonomous lander detection and interaction.
- Manipulation tasks for data retrieval and lander relocation.
In this context, the project benefits from strong synergies with the TANDEM project (also led by UdG), which develops an Autonomous Surface Craft to automate AUV deployment and recovery. This technological leadership positions UdG as a key driver in robust and intelligent underwater robotic systems.
Ecological Perspective and Impact
From an ecological perspective, SMART-ME focuses on monitoring recovery processes in marine reserves created under the ICATMAR co-management framework. Through its three research lines—SMART-ME ECOFISH (ICM-CSIC), SMART-ME TECH (UdG) and SMART-ME NET (UPC-SARTI)—the project integrates:
- Autonomous acoustic tracking of species.
- AI-based image analysis of deep-sea fauna.
- Long-term endurance testing of landers.
By combining ecological expertise with cutting-edge engineering, SMART-ME lays the foundations for a new generation of intelligent deep-sea observatories, contributing to ecosystem conservation while reinforcing Spain’s position in international deep-sea research.