Robotic boats help US waterway security

By IBI Magazine

Increased attention to homeland security has resulted in a new focus on protecting the nearly 400 US ports.

MRV International, an innovative marine technology company, is providing state-of-the-art software and hardware for robotic USVs (unmanned surface vessels) to man the US's harbours and waterways.

Operating as autonomous marine robotic platforms, the USVs use MRV's new-generation software for remote command and control, navigation, route planning, event and crisis management, onboard diagnostics and other functions. Linked with broadband wireless telemetry, the USVs can be operated from virtually anywhere in the world via the Internet.

To identify terrorism threats, the USVs can be equipped with radar, sonar, and video surveillance capabilities, as well as on-site, automated chemical, biological and radiological analysis. The all-weather, day-and-night robot boats also have application in piracy, narcotics interdiction, illegal immigration, chemical and radiological spill detection and many other areas.

(17 March 2004)