INESC TEC takes Internet to the waters of the Atlantic

Fishermen “closer” to home

It is still a communication pilot at the Edifício Transparente, in the city of Porto, and will be testing the communications between this building and the fishing boats (owned by the PROPEIXE cooperative) in the port of Matosinhos. INESC TEC is in charge of the innovation behind this work and the aim is to provide, starting next year, free broadband Internet access to all users throughout the seashore between the cities of Porto and Póvoa de Varzim, up to a maximum of five nautical miles (about nine kilometres).

The innovative technology, called Mare-Fi, is based on the JANUS system – developed at INESC TEC’s Telecommunications and Multimedia Unit (UTM) and presented in the 2012 edition of the Sea Fair – and is now adapted to the sea. The system is capable of turning the fishing boats into signal transmission points to other boats that are not within the radio range of the terrestrial network. “For the first time, fishermen, tourists or any other person located up to five miles off the coats will have free access to wireless broadband Internet”, explains Rui Campos, a researcher at UTM and project manager. The goal is to “extend the coverage of Porto Digital’s network to up to five nautical miles into the sea”, and “thus test in a sea environment the technology that we master in a land environment”, he adds.

An analysis of maritime traffic has shown that there was a lot to explore in this type of communications. “We realised that this was an opportunity to cover new users who may need to use the Internet”, Rui Campos reveals. Right now, the main target users of the Mare-Fi are deep sea fishermen, and having free Internet access in the middle of the Atlantic will only improve their working conditions. In fact, according to the researcher, the project has a great social impact, especially because “it allows fishermen to be closer to those they leave behind, not only their co-workers, but also their families”, and so “they will feel less isolated”. But another important aspect is “digital inclusion. In fact, this project will allow people from a very particular environment to access the digital world. And this is certainly an advantage”, the researcher stresses.

A pioneer system in the world

Currently, the communication scenario is made in three ways: Internet access is made via satellite or through the network of mobile operators – where coverage at sea is over just a few miles off the coast –, which is extremely expensive, or using VHF radio for voice communication. “What we want now is to take broadband to this scenario and have an Internet scenario at sea that is similar to the one we have on land”, Rui Campos adds. Moreover, “as far as we know, this is a pioneer project and there is no Wi-Fi technology available at sea anywhere. Even though the project is focusing on the north of Portugal, it is viable anywhere else in the world”. And he adds: “Following our participation in the Sea Fair, we now have other collaboration opportunities and there has been an increasing interest in this technology because it fulfills a real need”.

For the fishermen, the advantages will not only be personal but also professional: “they will be able to sell their fish even before they get to shore, and in a situation of emergency, contact with shore will be easier, even with videoconference", Rui Campos explains. But do not think that only fishermen will be able to benefit from this technology that is unique in the world. “Tourists, pleasure boats, ships neat the coast” will be able to access the Internet provided by the APD through the system developed by INESC TEC. According to the researcher, the Mare-Fi can also “bring tourists to the Portuguese coast”, and the ports can actually use the communication infrastructure to “advertise the services we have on shore”, he clarifies.

Therefore, the project can also promote national tourism as the ports work as large gateways for tourists, thus ultimately contributing to improve the national economy. The Mare-Fi is also an “opportunity to bring the researchers and society closer”, the UTM researcher stresses. This work benefits from a number of master’s dissertations and other research conducted at INESC TEC, mainly on sea-land communications. Other than Rui Campos, the UTM teal also includes Mário Lopes and Luciano Santos, both MSc students, Manuel Ricardo (manager of UTM), Jorge Mamede, Filipe Teixeira and Jaime Dias. It is important to highlight that the Mare-Fi is not a financed project, but developed entirely with INESC TEC funds, which confirms that with few resources it is possible to do great things”, the researcher reveals.

Sea Fair – a platform to launch new technology

The collaboration protocol for the Mare-Fi was signed between INESC TEC and the Porto Digital Association as part 2013 Sea Fair, which took place at the Exponor (Porto International Fair), and welcomed the Secretary of State for the Sea, Manuel Pinto de Abreu. It will be this collaboration with the ADP – an association established by the Porto City Council and by the University of Porto in order to promote the information society – that will make it possible for the Mare-Fi to use the APD’s wireless network. According to the vice-president of the Porto City Council and president of the ADP, Vladimiro Feliz, "this partnership with INESC TEC is yet another step forward in this expansion as we are now going to the sea. This is a fundamental step to establish the foundations that are gradually making Porto a smarter city”.

The 2013 edition of the Sea Fair – an event that promotes commercial opportunities and new business and scientific research areas, as well as other activities connected to the Economy of the Sea – focused on the 2020 challenges. INESC TEC displayed different technologies with applications in the sea in the areas of Water Robotics (represented by researchers at the Robotics and Intelligent Systems Unit – ROBIS), Optical Fibre Sensors (Optoeletronics and Electronic Systems Unit – UOSE), Electronic Port Community (Information and Computer Graphics Systems Unit – USIG), Maritime Communications (Telecommunications and Multimedia Unit – UTM) and Environmental Data Analysis (Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support – LIAAD).

Promoted by the Portuguese Business Association (AEP) and by the OCEANO XXI - Association for the Knowledge and Economy of the Sea, this strategic event welcomed professionals from different sectors within the Economy of the Sea, as well as the scientific community and the general public. The purpose of this event is to make the public aware of the benefits that can be obtained from sustainably exploring the sea. Similarly to what happened last year, INESC TEC shared a stand together with CIIMAR (Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research). With this participation, INESC TEC managed once again to confirm its contribution to take Portuguese science to the international scene.

Have your say

Carlos Pinho, Adviser to the Managers of UTM
“The Mare-Fi is a pioneer project worldwide and will bring a number of important social benefits and an economic impact that is relevant to the maritime community.

During the Sea Fair, UTM initiated important contacts with national and international companies operating in the maritime environment, which have now led to concrete actions towards future partnerships. This is important to UTM’s R&D strategy for the sea Mar, which includes collaborations with other INESC TEC units.

The INESC TEC brand is a reference at the Sea Fair, supported by the quality research in multiple areas of expertise.”

Filipe Magalhães, researcher at the Optoelectronics and Electronic Systems Unit (UOSE)
“I believe that INESC TEC’s participation in the 2013 Sea Fair was very fruitful. I think that INESC TEC was also capable of showcasing its capacity to innovate in different economic sectors and in its various areas of expertise.

Generally speaking, I just wish that the dimension of the event had been bigger, especially because Portugal can benefit greatly from the opportunities brought about by the sea.”

The INESC TEC researchers mentioned in this article are associated with the following partner institutions: FEUP and INESC Porto.