About
Shark Attack Mitigation Systems is located in Perth, Western Australia – a coastline that has recently experienced the highest incidence of fatal shark attacks in the world, including 5 fatalities in the last 2 years.
Prompted by community concern, SAMS founders Hamish Jolly and Craig Anderson collaborated with The Oceans Institute at the University of Western Australia to discover practical solutions for shark attack protection.
The Government of Western Australia has shown a significant commitment to mitigation of shark attacks along the Western Australian coastline. Through its Innovation Voucher Program, the Government of Western Australia provided early co-investment for the initial research and development work by Shark Mitigation Systems and University of Western Australia. Live testing of the prototype materials was also undertaken as part a wider University of Western Australia research program supported by the Government's Applied Research Program, through the Department of Commerce.
Jolly and Anderson began connecting dots within the large body of anecdotal evidence suggesting visual contrast, colours, shapes and patterns may impact how a shark perceives and engages with objects and other creatures in the marine environment.
They noted, for example, that for some decades Australian Marine Biologist Dr Walter Starck has been an advocate for painting white stripes on his black wetsuit to act as a shark repellent. Famous Australian naturalist and environmentalist, Dr Harry Butler shared a similar view as to this effect, although with yellow and black stripes.
Historically, anthropologists report that some traditional Pacific Island tribes hold a belief that specific patterns painted on the body are effective in protecting against shark attack.
Meantime, scientists in the study of marine biomimicry note the disruptive coloration of many fish species and the striped coloration of pilot fish (the only fish to deliberately reside around a shark's mouth in 100% safety).
Both commercial innovators with science backgrounds, in 2011 Jolly and Anderson decided to test what scientific principles might underly this evidence, starting with the physiology of predatory shark vision and shark neurology and behaviour.
At the same time, the team of globally recognised experts under Professor Shaun Collin and Dr Nathan Hart at the University of Western Australia's Oceans Institute, had just announced the discovery that sharks see in black and white, not colour.
Early in 2012, and with the financial support of the Western Australian government, SAMS commissioned the Oceans Institute to complete the necessary research culminating in a report entitled "Predicting cryptic and conspicuous wetsuit colours and patterns for the purposes of shark attack mitigation in Western Australian waters".
Jolly and Anderson then asked the original designer of the famous Quiksilver brand, Ray Smith, a former Californian, lifetime surfer and designer of some of the world's best selling wetsuits, to incorporate the Oceans Institute's scientific and technological findings into the design of a range of shark deterrent wetsuits and materials for marine watersports.
Early in 2013, the University conducted the first round of independent testing in a live environment off the coast of Western Australia, with positive results.
A film crew commissioned by National Geographic documented the testing process, for incorporation into a feature piece to be released wordwide in July 2013.
Subsequent to testing, SAMS registered provisional patents, designs and trademarks for its technology and has entered into a licensing agreement for materials manufacture with Yamamoto Corporation of Japan.
Yamamoto Corporation is a neoprene manufacturer which specialises in water sports apparel. Yamamoto’s wetsuit material is used in over 90% of the global triathlon wear market.
SAMS has also entered into its first licensing agreement with Radiator Wetsuits.
Radiator is an Australian export success story and continues to innovate in wetsuit development (distributing to consumers worldwide via their online store). The company is already well known for being the original developer of innovative light weight thermal vests which have now become almost standard wear for surfers and divers. At the cutting edge of technology, Radiator combines four revolutionary layers that make up possibly the thinnest and most flexible wetsuit on the market.
Radiator is the first end-user manufacturer and retailer of the applied research products.
Prompted by community concern, SAMS founders Hamish Jolly and Craig Anderson collaborated with The Oceans Institute at the University of Western Australia to discover practical solutions for shark attack protection.
The Government of Western Australia has shown a significant commitment to mitigation of shark attacks along the Western Australian coastline. Through its Innovation Voucher Program, the Government of Western Australia provided early co-investment for the initial research and development work by Shark Mitigation Systems and University of Western Australia. Live testing of the prototype materials was also undertaken as part a wider University of Western Australia research program supported by the Government's Applied Research Program, through the Department of Commerce.
Jolly and Anderson began connecting dots within the large body of anecdotal evidence suggesting visual contrast, colours, shapes and patterns may impact how a shark perceives and engages with objects and other creatures in the marine environment.
They noted, for example, that for some decades Australian Marine Biologist Dr Walter Starck has been an advocate for painting white stripes on his black wetsuit to act as a shark repellent. Famous Australian naturalist and environmentalist, Dr Harry Butler shared a similar view as to this effect, although with yellow and black stripes.
Historically, anthropologists report that some traditional Pacific Island tribes hold a belief that specific patterns painted on the body are effective in protecting against shark attack.
Meantime, scientists in the study of marine biomimicry note the disruptive coloration of many fish species and the striped coloration of pilot fish (the only fish to deliberately reside around a shark's mouth in 100% safety).
Both commercial innovators with science backgrounds, in 2011 Jolly and Anderson decided to test what scientific principles might underly this evidence, starting with the physiology of predatory shark vision and shark neurology and behaviour.
At the same time, the team of globally recognised experts under Professor Shaun Collin and Dr Nathan Hart at the University of Western Australia's Oceans Institute, had just announced the discovery that sharks see in black and white, not colour.
Early in 2012, and with the financial support of the Western Australian government, SAMS commissioned the Oceans Institute to complete the necessary research culminating in a report entitled "Predicting cryptic and conspicuous wetsuit colours and patterns for the purposes of shark attack mitigation in Western Australian waters".
Jolly and Anderson then asked the original designer of the famous Quiksilver brand, Ray Smith, a former Californian, lifetime surfer and designer of some of the world's best selling wetsuits, to incorporate the Oceans Institute's scientific and technological findings into the design of a range of shark deterrent wetsuits and materials for marine watersports.
Early in 2013, the University conducted the first round of independent testing in a live environment off the coast of Western Australia, with positive results.
A film crew commissioned by National Geographic documented the testing process, for incorporation into a feature piece to be released wordwide in July 2013.
Subsequent to testing, SAMS registered provisional patents, designs and trademarks for its technology and has entered into a licensing agreement for materials manufacture with Yamamoto Corporation of Japan.
Yamamoto Corporation is a neoprene manufacturer which specialises in water sports apparel. Yamamoto’s wetsuit material is used in over 90% of the global triathlon wear market.
SAMS has also entered into its first licensing agreement with Radiator Wetsuits.
Radiator is an Australian export success story and continues to innovate in wetsuit development (distributing to consumers worldwide via their online store). The company is already well known for being the original developer of innovative light weight thermal vests which have now become almost standard wear for surfers and divers. At the cutting edge of technology, Radiator combines four revolutionary layers that make up possibly the thinnest and most flexible wetsuit on the market.
Radiator is the first end-user manufacturer and retailer of the applied research products.
