Historically, Sweden holds a strong position in the area of underwater technology, with world-class submarines and unmanned systems. It has been confirmed that SMaRC (Swedish Maritime Robotics Centre), Sweden’s leading academic venture in underwater robotics, will continue its research with support from Saab, FMV (Swedish Defence Materiel Administration), and KTH (Royal Institute of Technology). The project has received continued funding over the next seven years, encompassing several projects at KTH, strengthening Sweden’s position in maritime innovation.
Peter Sigray, Centre Director of SMaRC, is enthusiastic about the renewed support: “The funding will allow us to intensify our focus on autonomous technology and its applications to meet our partners’ needs and enhance our knowledge of the ocean. At SMaRC, we will further develop our robots to be more autonomous and adaptable to advanced operations and ensure our innovations are accessible to both internal and external stakeholders.”
SMaRC will focus on developing next-generation autonomous underwater vessels, which will play a crucial role in defence and addressing future societal challenges. Marine robotics holds immense potential to enhance our understanding of the ocean, access previously uncharted areas, and provide efficient ocean monitoring. A key part of the centre’s mission is to raise a new generation of engineers and researchers who will lead Swedish authorities and industry into the future.
The Swedish Maritime Robotcs Centre, SMaRC ensures that Sweden maintains its global position in the technological forefront and will continue to take lead in the transition from present autonomous to intelligent underwater systems. This provides new opportunities for Swedish industry to both expand in existing markets and to establish presence into new markets. The main objective of SMaRC is to establish a balanced mix of academic and industrial research, embracing a variety of novel fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, electrochemistry, vehicle design, underwater networks, and oceanography.
