Clever Buoy Technology Story
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R&D Deployment April/ May 2014
In April 2014, after several months of Research and Development (R&D), the original Clever Buoy™ proof of concept was ready for testing. The first trials of the system were completed at SeaLife Aquarium in Sydney. The target of the trials was to confirm that the sonar signatures that sharks reflect to the Sharktec software was effective enough to see sharks, and that the new software could sufficiently track the sharks and other marine life. The trial at Sydney Aquarium was successful with several different shark species in the Aquarium including Grey Nurse Sharks, Lemon Sharks, Blacktip Reef Sharks, Whitetip Reef Sharks, Wobbegong Sharks and Grey Reef Sharks in addition to the many different fish species. The team then made their way to the Abrolhos Islands in Western Australia, with the objective of testing the new sonar and the first iteration of the SharkTec software in open water with tiger sharks and other large marine species. After almost a week of testing we had several encounters with tiger sharks and sting rays and many other species to go into the next round of development. Following the Abrolhos Islands testing, the team ventured to Esperance in Western Australia to obtain more R&D data in open water with Great White Sharks, further increasing the depth of sonar signatures used by the SharkTec software. |
Sydney Aquarium 2014
Abrolhos R&D Test Rig April 2014
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Image source Daily Telegraph. To read full story: http://bit.ly/2xyLRi8
Bondi Beach (Bondi Beach episode) 2015
In July 2015, Clever Buoy was featured in an episode of Bondi Rescue, where Reidy and the lifeguard team joined SAMS to 'test' the Clever Buoy™ of Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
In July 2015, Clever Buoy was featured in an episode of Bondi Rescue, where Reidy and the lifeguard team joined SAMS to 'test' the Clever Buoy™ of Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
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Bondi Beach 2016
The system was successfully trialled off Sydney’s Bondi Beach in early 2016, a commercial deployment which delivered significant exposure for the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Shark Management Strategy. The Clever Buoy™ system was embraced by the Bondi Lifeguards and integrated into operational beach management systems. Clever Buoy™ is now formally endorsed by the Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard Association (APOLA).
World Surf League - Jeffrey Bay Open 2016
Following the Bondi beach deployment, SMS was contracted by World Surf League (WSL) for deployment at the Jeffreys Bay, South Africa Championship Tour 2016 J-Bay Open event to provide detection and surveillance services for athletes (location of Australian surfer, Mick Fanning’s shark attack in 2015). Additional WSL events include the 2017 Margaret River Championship Tour event in March 2017.
NSW Department of Primary Industries Collaborative Research November 2016
In November 2016, Clever Buoy™ was independently tested as part of further collaborative research with NSW DPI on Great White Sharks. The trial was undertaken near Hawkes Nest, on the New South Wales Central Coast and utilised Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations (BRUVS) deployed in the field of view of the sonar beams and provided independent information about the existence and size of the sharks’ present. The research independently confirmed that Clever Buoy™ successfully detected White Sharks and during the trial, observations of the behaviours of marine animals recorded on the BRUVs suggested that there was no evidence that they were affected by the presence of the Clever Buoy™ system. 
City Beach Summer 2017
The most recent beach safety and marine monitoring deployment of Clever Buoy™ was in Western Australia between December 2016 and April 2017. The state government approved the deployment of the system at City Beach, Western Australia. In addition to the standard Clever Buoy™ mobile application, the system was integrated seamlessly into the Western Australia government’s SharkSmart alert system to provide real-time to alerts to the public as well as lifeguards and other agencies responsible for beach safety. Two surface buoys with a total of 6 sonars transducers were deployed to provide further protection and another layer of beach safety to City Beach users. Future Deployments and Current Projects
The Company continues to receive a significant number of expressions of interest from around the world in relation to the deployment of the Clever Buoy system. The incidence of shark activity in recent years has had a significant effect on domestic and international tourism and its direct effect on local communities, where beach activity and water sports feature prominently. SMS has been working with local councils, state and federal governments on the approval and funding process to deploy Clever Buoy for beach safety across high risk locations in Australia and is currently engaged with a number of private organisations with additional applications of the technology. Current areas of ongoing engagement are:
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