NORFOLK, Va. — A portion of the Willoughby Boat Ramp in Norfolk will now help Old Dominion University Students and those within the maritime industry test their new technology.
“Autonomous systems in particular are very important because they take away the risk and the cost associated with having humans in places where maybe they shouldn’t be,” said Dr. Yiannis Papelis, the Chief Technology Officer for ODU’s Office of Enterprise Research and Innovation.
It is called the Maritime Autonomous Systems Test Site, or MASTS.
Watch related coverage: Robots to automate food delivery at Old Dominion University
“It effectively involves designing algorithms, testing and evaluating systems that operate on the water and they’re like water drones. In the same way we see aerial drones be pervasive, so are water drones,” Papelis said.
According to Papelis, these designs can cater to a variety of industries.
“This could be anything g from a small boat that you use to survey the sea floor. It could be a small boat you could use to protect a particular asset, it could be something you use to transport goods,” said Papelis.
Watch related coverage: Rep. Kiggans, US Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer tour Volvo Penta training center
Papelis tells News 3 that ODU is investing a lot of money into their maritime education. ODU aims to foster more partnerships now that companies have a place to test their product. Students will have access to work hand-in-hand with the maritime industry, giving them a leg-up in the post-graduation job market.
“What typically happens is the industry will snatch the students before you know it,” he told News 3.
This is a joint venture by ODU, the City of Norfolk, and partners within the maritime industry.
In the next few months, News 3 will head back out to the boat ramp to learn more about some of these inventions, and how they could help shape the future or maritime.
