: NEW MEMBER PROFILE
MarineLabs Data Systems Inc.
W
ith a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering, and a PhD in Ocean Wave Energy and Ocean Engineering, CEO Dr. Scott Beatty’s decision to establish MarineLabs Data Systems Inc. — realtime coastal intelligence for marine domain awareness — was the logical next step in a career focused on ocean engineering and wave energy research. “After University, I consulted for organizations that were interested in converting waves to energy — for example, the U.S. Department of Energy,” said Beatty. “It didn’t take long for me to realize that there was a significant lack of data that could assist in ship and maritime safety as well as for validation of predictive modelling of climate change impacts.” Possessing both the vision and the skills, Beatty set about creating the core technology that monitors wind and waves with solar-powered sensors mounted on buoys and Aids to Navigation (AtoN). Enter an exceptional team of software and engineering
CoastScoutTM is a sensor that can be mounted on buoys and transmit every wave and every gust of wind to the cloud where the data is accumulated and accessed by clients through a subscription-based account... leaders, including a few former NASA staff — and MarineLabs with their CoastAwareTM product was born.
The technology
The ability to measure wind and wave action is a technology that has been advancing over many years. “Most measurement buoys in the past were designed to be these super rugged, huge pieces of equipment with satellite connectivity that can be placed anywhere in the ocean,” Beatty said. “But 90 per cent of shipping is within a 10 kilometre-radius off the coast, requiring nothing more than cell coverage.” This was the starting point for MarineLabs — to be able to capture more data, at higher resolutions, with much more frequency than traditional weather
monitors and accessible by anyone with an internet connection. The hardware — CoastScoutTM — is a sensor that can be mounted on buoys and transmit every wave and every gust of wind to the cloud where the data is accumulated and accessed by clients
CoastScoutTM sensors can be located wherever needed with options available to use the existing fleet; convert existing navigational aids into real-time data locations; or commission a new data location as required. 48 — PACIFIC PORTS — April 2021
