Australian researchers are developing high-tech buoys to prevent shark attacks and keep beachgoers safe.
The float, called the "Clever Buoy", uses sonic devices to look for objects more than two meters long approaching within almost 60 meters, according to Daily Life. The float will send an alert through a satellite to lifeguards on the beach to evacuate swimmers if the object is confirmed to be a shark.
The Clever Buoy was tested by Shark Mitigation Services (SMS) at the Syndey Aquarium as well as the remote Abrolhos Islands. The company is looking to have the technology available in the market by the middle of next year.
"It's like face-recognition software," said Hamish Jolly, co-founder of SMS. "We can teach the software to look for the unique characteristics that we see in large sharks swimming."
SMS is working on fine-tuning the sonar transducers so they can detect sharks based on their movements through the water, NEWS.com.au reported.
"All sea animals have unique signatures based on the way they swim," Jolly said. "It's their fingerprint."
The technology has shown to be able to use sonar signatures from animals to distinguish between sharks and stingrays, NEWS.com.au reported.
Jolly added that the buoys could eventually distinguish between different species of sharks based on how they swim, and that testing will help increase sonar range.
Telecoms provider Optus provided SMS with satellite technology for the Clever Buoy. One of the reasons for this collaboration was Optus's interest in conserving sharks, Daily Life reported.
"We want to provide the environment that's safe for beachgoers but also provides the opportunity to protect sharks long-term as well," said Nathan Rosenberg, head of Brand and Communications for Optus.
With the use of satellites instead of mobile phone networks, the buoys could be anchored off remote beaches in Australia and other locations, Daily Life reported.
"We want to be able to deploy this anywhere in the world," Jolly said.
He added that possible locations for the buoys include Hawaii and Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean.
