Underwater-tool for the citizen scientists

Did you know that we know less about the ocean than the surface of Mars?

According to BluEye, a newly established company originated from AMOS by the Norwegian Unviersity of Science and Technology, we have only explored about 5% of the oceans. The Trondheim-based company aim to solve this with enabling everyone to explore the remaining 95% of the ocean by providing you with what they call the “perfect tool”, an underwater drone named BluEye Explorer PX.

CEO Erik Dyrkoren claim that no such equivalent exists in the world today; therefore it is a global project. Their goal is to develop and provide the world´s best underwater drone for the global consumer market.

Video: first sea trial of BluEye, an affordable under-water tool at the price of 20,000 NOK. 

At the moment the core team are working on developing a prototype in collaboration with Eggs Design in Trondheim, an approximately one-year project. The team located at Gløshaugen Innovation Center at NTNU, consists of Rune Hansen, Borja Serra, Christine Spiten and Erik Dyrkoren. The team are also working with NTNU professors and PhDs.

According to Dyrkoren there is three important customer segments: The curious one, who wants to explore the ocean, boats and marine owners, and the “hobby researcher”/or “citizen scientists” who wants to make a difference.

The team want to encourage users worldwide to explore the ocean where they live. This makes it possible to build an ecosystem of explorers and “citizen scientists”.

Erik Dyrkoren won the award for “Best Innovation” 2016, presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the Trøndelag meeting in Trondheim last week.