Overview:

Bajan Digital Creations Inc. successfully implemented The BlueBOT Project, using underwater robots and AI to enhance understanding of reef biodiversity and provide virtual diving experiences.  

The Challenge:

Traditional reef monitoring methods are expensive and time-consuming, and there is a need for affordable and continuous observation of reef environments.   

The Solution:

The project trained local community members to pilot underwater robots, providing virtual diving services and generating revenue for continuous reef monitoring.   

Why this matters:

This project not only provides valuable data for reef management but also creates economic opportunities and engages the community in marine conservation.   

Main outputs and achievements:

The project successfully trained 10 local residents to pilot underwater robots, impacting 10 direct beneficiaries and 150 indirect beneficiaries. It established a baseline video dataset of nearly 100 samples and extracted datasets of 18 organism profiles for 4 nearshore sites. Two 17-year-olds were recruited to provide ROV and data analysis services.   

Support the project:

Potential partners could provide funding for scaling up the project, enabling the training of more community members in piloting underwater robots and expanding virtual diving services to reach a wider audience in the tourism and education sectors. Support could also include funding the development of AI-powered reef monitoring tools, enhancing the project's capacity to analyze video data and extract valuable insights for reef management and conservation efforts.

Lessons learned:

Combining technical training with practical experience is key to the success of the program. Clear communication and accredited certification can enhance the program's attractiveness. Adapting the program to fit participants' schedules is important for wider participation and engagement.