IMETALX GROUP, LLC — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 13c

Description

The deep ocean below 200 m water depth is the least observed, but largest habitat on our planet by volume and area. The deep ocean remains under sampled and under observed at great depths and in many regions. It is estimated only 2% of observations in the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) are from water depths greater than 500 m. The deep ocean is a dynamic system that provides critical climate regulation, houses a wealth of energy, mineral, and biological resources, and represents a vast repository of biological diversity. The great expanse of the deep ocean has to this point resulted in an extremely poor spatial and temporal resolution of observation. In order to meet deep ocean observation needs, iMetalx is developing a Deep Ocean Sensing Platform- DOSP. The objective of Phase 1 is to create a mission persistent communication gateway to bridge between deep sea sensors to remote terrestrial operating centers out of direct RF link with power provide by marine hydrokinetic energy. Phase 1 deliverables include the following below: Marketing Research Document-(MRD): Identify potential customers and product market fit. Design systems specific to the needs of an identified end-user in the blue economy, Systems Requirements Document (SRD): stakeholder requirements translated to solution agnostic functional requirements, Structured Innovation-Ideation: Design Spiral, Transformational Technology, Preliminary Design Review. The DOSP iMetalx is developing has wide applicability to the Blue Economy. Marine industries benefiting from this platform include but are limited to weather modeling, ocean mining, maritime surveillance, and aquaculture.