Ireland
DIgItAl IslAnD In A DIgItAl OceAn
A
ll across the world, next generation information and communications technologies (ICT) are needed to allow the sustainable economic development of our oceans, which as a source of food, transport and energy is our greatest natural resource. There are significant challenges for the development of reliable technology solutions that can survive deployment in the challenging and dynamic conditions of our marine environment. Ireland has over 220 million acres of marine area and as a country with a strong expertise in ICT has significant potential to be a world leader in the provision of specialist ICT solutions to the global marine sector. The Marine Institute recently hosted the second Annual SmartOcean Conference – ‘Driving New Business Opportunities at the Interface of ICT and the Sea’, in Oranmore, Co. Galway on the 5th and 6th July. The event was organised to help profile and support the development of world class Irish companies and academic researchers pioneering the development of ICT for the Sea. “The object of the event is to explore the opportunities for economic growth presented by the convergence of new technologies such as robotics, sensors, grid and cloud computing, with applications to marine related activities such as environmental monitoring, ocean energy, marine safety, aquaculture etc.,” said Dr. Peter Heffernan, CEO of the Marine Institute, who chaired the first session. “Worldwide, marine markets represent a trillion dollar global activity and Ireland is uniquely positioned to leverage its ICT cluster to target this opportunity.” Great progress has already been made, thanks to competitive research funding provided by national and international sources, including the Marine Institute which has supported projects across the ICT s X??X[?H? ?X? ?\?H\??X?Y] H???\?[??K? ?\?[?][??[?? YY \]\?? H]?[?Y[? \?H?[?[Y?[?XX?[?\??? [?\??]\?[??X?[? ? H \?H? ?\?[\?? X?????Y\? ?[?X?H????H]?[?Y[? ?[?[??\??Y[?[[?]?[??\? ?[\?????H\]XX?[ \?H]?[?Y[? ?]?H[?\??H?[?\?][?[?X\?[?H ?X?\?] K?\?[[?8?&\??][?[?X?[] H??X\?[?HP?8?&?X\??^x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