The latest Tech4Bio Workshop in Haifa (October 21-22) has successfully concluded, bringing together a diverse group of experts, researchers, and students to explore the powerful convergence of marine biology and cutting-edge technology. The event highlighted how interdisciplinary innovation is providing previously unimaginable tools—from robotics and AI to advanced sensing—to study, monitor, and conserve the world's oceans.

Attendees shared insights into how remote sensing, aerial and marine robotics, and sophisticated data analysis are revolutionizing our understanding of marine ecosystems and enabling real-time monitoring of everything from biodiversity to the effects of climate change.

A number of groundbreaking presentations showcased the future direction of marine technology and research.

Presentations of LABUST members: 

Mak Gračić
Reinforcement Learning for Sperm Whale Coda Detection Verification

It introduces a reinforcement learning (RL) system designed to improve the precision of sperm whale coda detection. An RL-based validator is used on top of the Haifa MPS-CD detector which in turn reduces false alarms while maintaining high recall, using a constrained policy optimization approach. 

Filip Bogdanović
Underwater Energy Harvesting technology and circuits

Modern technology is expanding underwater through the Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT), where devices currently rely on batteries that require regular maintenance. To improve autonomy, this reaserch is exploring piezoelectric energy harvesting from acoustic ambient noise and self-motion as practical power sources for underwater electrical systems.

Mario Tanfara
Up-Down chirp method for underwater radial velocity estimation

The presented method for estimating underwater radial velocity relies on the correlation between the Doppler effect and the delay of a matched filter, a known characteristic of chirp signals. By using suitable approximations, the research found an analytical expression that links the measured filter delay and the relative radial velocity between the transmitter and receiver. Furthermore, an analysis of the signal structure identifies the chirps most resistant to the Doppler effect, ensuring high performance for the estimation method.

Marko Barišić
Monitoring the Mobility of Sea Turtles in Video Footage

We presented an automated, non-invasive approach to monitor sea turtle behavior in captivity, offering new insights into stress responses caused by human activities. Using video footage and a ResNet-based classification model, we accurately detect breathing events—key indicators of stress. In this session we explored how AI-driven behavioral analysis can reveal the subtle impacts of noise on marine life.

Đula Nađ
Wearable sensing and robotics for divers

Limited visibility, constant disturbances and technical equipment make human exploration of underwater environments challenging. While underwater robots can aid in these tasks, they cannot fully replace human presence in cognitive and fine manipulations tasks. Therefore, solutions to enable safer diving and interaction with robotic diving buddies are required. The lecture will showcase the current research efforts from the Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies in this direction.

The Tech4Bio Workshop continues to serve as a vital platform for showcasing breakthroughs and fostering collaborations that will shape the future of marine biology research and conservation.