Innovation That Matters

Spotted: Washington-based Lumen Bioscience is the first biotech company to produce a range of high-value oral biologics. Spirulina, a blue-green algae, covers antibody therapeutics and vaccines — both of which have been unmet needs in healthcare for a long time. Springwise has reported many algae-related innovations in the past. Examples include a wooden motorbike that runs on algae oil, and a ‘living chandelier’ that absorbs carbon dioxide from the air and releases oxygen.

Having pioneered a natural blue pigment to replace those made from petroleum last year, Lumen is aiming higher. Now, it is seeking to harness the unique nutritional benefits of Spirulina in areas that have boggled traditional biotechnology platforms. ‘It’s hard to get plants or alginates to express protein at higher levels’, says Michael Tasch at Lumen’, ‘but we’ve cracked the code’.

In November, Lumen was issued a broad US patent for its novel set of gene editing tools and methods. The patent will allow researchers to integrate stably engineered forms of Spirulina into global health approaches. This means faster timelines for drug development and lower costs. It also means increased availability of cures for the hundreds of millions afflicted with diseases each year.

Among other programs, Lumen received a grant from National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue developing its low-cost, Spirulina-based oral malaria vaccine. Unlike injected vaccines, Lumen does not need refrigerated storage and distribution. In May, a grant was awarded by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to manufacture oral vaccines that protected farmed fish from IHNV. IHNV is fatal to salmonid fish like trout and salmon and its impact has cost millions in lost sales.

The vast majority of innovations in the extractive industry apply to onshore mining practices. Notable examples include the use of autonomous drones for mapping underground spaces, and the conversion of disused mines into renewable energy hubs. Far less recognised, however, is the feasibility of deep seabed mining in a sustainable manner. As 10 billion tons of renewable mineral deposits are generated on the ocean floor annually, this gap is a major opportunity for investment.

Krypton Ocean Group, based in Tortola, has designed a submersive vehicle that collects polymetallic nodules located 6,000 meters below sea-level. The project was part of their ‘Extractive Industries 2.0’ stance against ‘the destructive suicidal paradigm that conventional mining technologies apply to mineral resources’. One of its most significant features is adjustable buoyancy (i.e. ‘floating-type’) which differs from older ‘riding-type’ models inspired by onshore mining vehicles. Adjustable buoyancy means that only the nodule-harvesting tool makes contact with the ocean floor. This way, Krypton Ocean’s vehicles can levitate over trenches, shipwrecks, hydrothermal vents and other deepsea obstacles that were formerly impassible. Crucially, it also reduces toxic sediment plumes and damage to marine biodiversity.

More recently, Krypton Ocean have considered gamifying the seabed mining process to attract a wider global audience. As players explore, extract and sell various deepwater minerals, they would use the virtual analogs of actual oceanic deposits along with Krypton’s extractive technology. The so-called ‘Crypto-Oceanic Mining’ game would lead to a fusion of the real sector with virtual environments.

2025 is predicted to be the year where both virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies become indispensable to the business world. From virtual business cards to an app that creates scaled 3D models of property using photos, many businesses today are questioning how they can utilise such technology in their strategies.

Damen Shipyards has also jumped on the immersive technology bandwagon with its latest VR/AR Trainer. The trainer can simulate an entire ship with sub-millimeter accuracy without needing physical outlines. Multiple viewers from different locations – whether designers, engineers, project managers or end-users – can access the simulation at once. This allows for reliable updates and the finalisation of design parameters before construction even begins. Clients are able to interact with a vessel before purchase, and experience more obscure design elements like sightlines and headroom. It can also be useful for training or recruiting sailors and non-commissioned officers. Employees may be tested in close to real-life simulations without having to face the cost consequences of mistakes.

Whereas VR places the user into a digitally created, virtual location, AR blends interactive digital elements with the real-world environment. In Damen’s case, AR complements all the advantages of VR while also supporting straightforward communication between off-shore technicians and onshore specialists. Augmented warnings are triggered by prognostics to improve safety and quality control.

Damen is currently testing the effectiveness of VR technology with a virtual model of a Royal Netherlands Navy Holland Class OPVs (Oceangoing Patrol Vessels).

Robots provide a means to explore hazardous or uninhabitable environments, whilst retaining the reasoning powers of their human operator. Previously, we’ve come across the TILT Ranger; a drone that navigates underground spaces autonomously. Another example is an autonomous marine vessel called Datamarans, which collects mass ocean data for research.

The Olis Master Controller, by Olis Robotics, is a new manipulator control system that amplifies the precision, workflow and efficiency of service robots in demanding subsea environments. By making a digital replica of its physical surroundings, the controller vastly improves the pilot’s ability to make rapid, data-driven decisions. Technicians can easily carry out error checks, set baud rates and calibrate sensors using the digital twin. Other features include: quick function selection via touch screen or gamepad, preset position settings, and assistive controls. It is also latency/bandwidth tolerant, meaning it can toggle between local (ship-based) and remote (control center) piloting.

Olis’ software offers variable levels of autonomy and machine learning so that robots may ‘learn’ with data on-the-go. This also allows the pilot to balance the intricacy of a task with the degree of risk inherent in the remote robotic operation scenario. Olis can be integrated into any robotic system from piloted to fully autonomous, and opens doors for robotic telework in land, space and defense settings.

Ports are the focal point of global supply chains, facilitating the movement of foods across modes of transportation. As such, ports are usually first to feel the disruptive effects of market forces and must exercise great foresight to keep supply chains running. At Springwise, we’ve encountered this same foresight in the use of Blockchain to track shipments and emissions-free autonomous marine transport in Norway.

The Port of Los Angeles has partnered with GE Transportation to launch a unique platform called Port Optimizer. This follows from a successful two-month technology pilot at the Port of Long Beach aiming to improve cargo flow. Port Optimizer is cloud-based software that uses machine learning and deep domain expertise to digitize disparate shipping data for port users. It provides real-time data-driven insights through a single portal, enabling data-flow between cargo owners, shipping lines and supply chain stakeholders.

Traditionally, port operations comprised of multiple, decentralised systems, each designed to monitor singular aspects such as ocean transits. This created poor supply chain visibility and predictability, unproductive dwell time and a lack of transparency between stakeholders for planning. With the Port Optimizer, all data regarding vessel forecasting and operational status can be found in one place. These functionalities combine to extend window for tracking time-sensitive imports from 48 hours to 14 days. Intermodal equipment planning and asset management is improved, leading to maximum throughput and delivery performance in general. Equally as important is the deepening of technology and stakeholder collaborations.

During the pilot, GE also added the Envio360 Drayage Optimization Platform to the Port Optimizer’s capabilities. The platform utilises artificial intelligence to deliver port-to-door visibility and enable port operator and landside transportation networks.

There has been a growing trend toward smart cities that use open standards for seamless aerial and terrestrial data sharing. We’ve seen auto-tinting windows, and clothes fitted with wireless tags that request to be donated if rarely worn. However, this so-called Internet of Things (IoT) has yet to enter the ocean. Underwater communication capabilities are currently manufacturer-specific, with submarines and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) employing a mishmash of incompatible proprietary technologies. Given that 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, a standard ‘language’ for underwater communications is long overdue.

NATO’s Italy-based Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation has designed the world’s first international standard for digital underwater communication, and is formally recognised by all NATO Allies. Named after the Roman god of openings, JANUS creates a common protocol for an acoustic signal which connects all marine systems into an Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT). Underwater vehicles, robots and sensors can communicate and relay near real-time data via ‘gateway buoys’ to surface-based operators.

JANUS sets a baseline frequency of 11.5 kilohertz for all acoustic systems to announce themselves. Once two systems ‘discover’ each other, they can create ad hoc networks at different frequencies for extended communication. The platform is deliberately simple to allow easy adoption by legacy equipment. Project leader João Alves compares JANUS to the English language: ‘two visitors to a foreign country might speak English with one another before realizing they are both native Spanish speakers, and switch to their preferred tongue’.

According to CMRE, JANUS can transmit ‘any kind of information’, and facilitate new and more cost-effective ways of interacting with the subsea environment. Examples include search-and-rescue operations, harbor protection, seismic detection, ecological monitoring, archeological surveys or even interactive real-time aquatic education. They hope that JANUS can enable interoperability between NATO and non-NATO, military and civilian maritime assets.

Finance tools have become a popular means for promoting eco-friendly ventures. Uruguayan shoe brand MAMUT, for example, accepts plastic bottles as payment to encourage local beach clean-ups. Similarly, Caaapital is an online platform that connects investors with renewable energy projects in Latin America.

The Republic of Seychelles has launched the world’s first sovereign ‘blue bond’ to finance the development of its blue economy. Planning was overseen by the World Bank and Global Environmental Facility. The blue bond is a debt instrument that taps into capital markets to fund sustainable ocean solutions. In Seychelles’ case, the USD 15 million raised will go towards the expansion of marine protected areas (MPAs), stock rebuilding and climate awareness campaigns. The bond will also support the World Bank’s South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Program, or SWIOFish3. SWIOFish3 aims to improve the management of marine areas and strengthen value chains in fishery products.

This is not the first time Seychelles has used impact investment to link marine conservation with economic opportunity. In February, they agreed to ‘swap’ foreign debt for a USD 22 million investment in marine conservation.

The costs of transitioning to sustainability can be heavy for a small island state whose economy depends on marine resources. Seychelles’ graduation to high-income country status in 2015 also removed access to grants and donor aid. A sovereign blue bond ‘will greatly assist Seychelles in achieving a transition to sustainable fisheries, says Vice-President Vincent Meriton. The bond also ‘combines public and private investment to mobilise resources for empowering local communities and businesses’. It is hoped that Seychelles’ blue bond will provide a model for other small island developing states and coastal regions.

Desalination is an innovative process that separates dissolved salts and other minerals from seawater to make fresh water. Notable recent examples include Singapore’s Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant, and a new desalination method that mimics the ion selectivity of organic cell membranes. Nonetheless, desalination demands a considerable amount of energy and the reduction of this energy requirement remains a major concern.

Hitachi has responded by developing a low-cost seawater desalination called RemixWater, located in the Water Plaza Kitakyushu facility. Uniquely, RemixWater uses water reclaimed from sewage recycling processes to dilute the seawater before filtering it through semi-permeable, reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. This method significantly reduces operating costs since lower salt concentrations mean lower RO pressure and electricity consumption. As a result, 40 percent of pumping pressure is reduced compared to conventional RO plants, and brine discharge is diluted by 3.5 percent. The RemixWater system stably produces 1,400 cubic meters of drinkable water per day.

However, filtration over extended periods leads to ‘fouling’ – the clogging and/or degradation of RO membranes – and drives up pumping costs. This prompted Hitachi to apply its proprietary AI technology to analyse operational data to identify factors affecting inlet pressure. These insights form the basis for strategies of fouling control. This technology can be implemented in all types of treatment systems as long as operating history data is available.

Hitachi wishes to expand RemixWater adoption both domestically and internationally. As of 2016, Water Plaza Kitakyushu has attracted over 7,500 visitors among which 1,900 are from overseas. Officials from the eThekwini Municipality in South Africa also visited and expressed interest in installing RemixWater at a local sewage treatment plant. The project period is four years, from 2016 to 2020, and will produce 6,250 cubic meters of water per day.

The healing properties of seaweed have long been recognised by scientists and indigenous cultures. According to Global Market Insights, the commercial seaweed industry is forecasted to reach USD 87 billion by 2024. These findings show the diverse applications of compounds sourced from seaweed biomass beyond food – from injectable bandages to edible straws and industrial gels.

Venus Shell Systems is a marine biotechnology company that sequesters clean carbon dioxide to grow seaweed biomass in the Shoalhaven region, Australia. The seaweed is farmed in land-based ponds using a combination of wastewater from a nearby wheat-processing plant, and water from the Shoalhaven River estuary. This gives their seaweed a unique profile of trace elements which can be tailored to customer needs. It contains up to 35 percent more protein, increased antioxidant activity, marine omega-3 oils, natural pigments and minerals.

The company’s new PhycoPRO line of seaweed products have food, digestive and skincare uses. PhycoFood focuses on innovative food concepts such as seaweed pasta, protein bars and falafels. PhycoDigest utilises the prebiotic aspect of seaweed in dietary supplements that improve gut and metabolic health. PhycoDerm employs seaweed gels for long-term and preventative skin health, as well as wound healing and cancer treatment. As the applications of seaweed continue to expand, as does global interest in these products.

Venus Shell Systems is committed to the recycling of nutrients, and the development of marine food production systems that are sustainably integrated with the environment.