HOME >> BIOLOGY >> NEWS
Manatees saved by ONR-supported technology

ONR-supported scientists contributed a key technology to the new, highly successful Manatee Protection System designed by the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution. The system saved the lives of five manatees during its installation and early testing at the Port Canaveral lock gates in Florida. Manatees are large marine mammals, streamlined in shape, with adults averaging 1,000 to as much as 1,500 pounds in weight. Adults reach a length of about 12 feet. They are an endangered species that, due to their slow maneuverability and penchant for warm water off the coast of Florida, often get killed in collisions with boats or by entrapment in man-made structures and nets. The new protection system at Port Canaveral, operated by acoustic sensors, is designed to prevent the lock gates from closing if a manatee is detected. This system will reduce risk, injury and mortality of manatees and enhance the Port's manatee protection efforts.

The Manatee Protection System contains a total of 320 individual sensors installed in sensor packages of 10 sensors each, with eight such packages on each gate. The engineers who designed the system wanted ultimate safety and redundancy; any one sensor can go off-line without disabling the entire system. The system operates similar to a garage door opener that immediately stops if it senses someone or something beneath the door. At Port Canaveral, a break in the acoustic signal alerts the gates to stop closing, giving any manatees time to get clear of the gates.

The ONR Materials Division initiated development of the piezoelectric material used in the acoustic-based sensor system that can react to the passage of a manatee in a tenth of a second. Funding for the project was awarded through ONRs Small Business Innovation Research Program. Additional funding was provided by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

A piezoelectric material tranforms electrical energy into mechanical energy and vice versa. Installing the new
'"/>

Contact: Diane Banegas
banegad@onr.navy.mil
703-696-2868
Office of Naval Research
23-Mar-2000


Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Manatees are hard of hearing
2. USGS Scientists Learn Lessons From Captive Released Manatees
3. Babies with DiGeorge syndrome saved by immune supression, thymus transplant
4. Anthropologist pleads for fewer humans, more saved species
5. Endangered freshwater mussels saved
6. Yale digital diagnostic technology is basis of new company, HistoRx Inc.
7. AACR applauds NCI initiative on nanotechnology
8. Rensselaer marks the opening of the center for biotechnology and interdisciplinary studies
9. New imaging technology at Joslin shown to detect early signs of type 1 diabetes
10. Researchers show how to assemble building blocks for nanotechnology
11. Jefferson Lab detector technology aids development of cystic fibrosis therapy

Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
TAG: Manatees saved ONR supported technology

(Date:6/18/2013)... Scientists at the University of Calgary,s Faculty of Medicine ... the body from harmful bacteria. Platelets, a component of ... search for specific bacteria, and upon detection, seal it ... which were published in Nature Immunology this ... of immunity. , "The science community has known that ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... a very large "dead zone" in the Gulf of ... the Chesapeake Bay this year, based on several NOAA-supported ... Michigan, Louisiana State University, and the Louisiana Universities ... Mexico hypoxic "dead" zone will be between 7,286 and ... ten largest recorded. That would range from an area ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... June 18, 2013: The Association for Molecular Pathology is ... American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) on July 1, ... on June 3, 2013. , The 26 constituent ... share a common vision for the advancement of research ... and translational research is more important now than ever," ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Immunity mechanism discovered 2NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 2NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 3NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 4
(Date:6/19/2013)... CARLSBAD, Calif. , June 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ ... soil, plant, stool and other challenging microbial nucleic ... Soil Protein Extraction Kit, for extraction of pure ... the protein world coincides with the 20 th ... ever growing innovation capabilities. (Photo: ...
(Date:6/19/2013)... 2013 Today DuPont Executive Vice President ... become leaders in the greatest challenge facing our time ... 2050. Borel spoke at the International Food ... about urgent need for students to contribute their time ... sustainable and reached in collaboration with others. , “Food ...
(Date:6/19/2013)... 2013 India’s vast and growing ... be worth up to a billion dollars per ... government is taking serious action to better regulate ... This presentation will examine:, ,     Recent ...     Immediate and long term impacts ,     Foreseeable ...
(Date:6/19/2013)... (PRWEB) June 19, 2013 Adding to ... is now stocked with Simport’s Dropette® and Heathrow ... at the customer doing basic biology, chemistry and any ... serology). , For over 35 years, Simport has been ... labware - products like the Simport Dropette®. Simport’s Dropette® ...
Breaking Biology Technology:MO BIO Laboratories, Inc. launches the first kit for protein extraction from soil 2DuPont Leader Calls for New Generation of Food Visionaries to Fight Hunger 2Leading Pipette Distributor Pipette.com Now Stocks Transfer Pipettes: Simport’s Dropette and Heathrow Scientific Disposable Plastic Transfer Pipettes 2
Cached News: