Blueiqs openear software defined hydrophone technology draws inspiration from software-defined radio (SDR), a paradigm that revolutionized wireless communication by enabling flexible, reconfigurable…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded Blueiq LLC $190,000 on September 1, 2026, under the NOAA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 11.021) to develop software-defined hydrophone technology and edge processing capabilities for passive acoustic monitoring of marine environments.

Blueiq will develop its OpenEar sensor by combining low-power software-defined hydrophone (SDH) technology with artificial intelligence to enable scalable, affordable, and autonomous ocean acoustic monitoring. The SDH approach dynamically adjusts sampling rates, frequency bands, and processing algorithms to efficiently monitor diverse acoustic signals in real time, enhancing the scope and accuracy of marine observation and making passive acoustic monitoring both ubiquitous and persistent.

Work is performed in Harvard, Massachusetts with a period of performance through February 26, 2027. The SBIR Program provides federal assistance to U.S.-based small business concerns through three phases: proof of concept, research and development, and commercialization. Phase I grants are normally limited to six months.

Blueiqs openear software defined hydrophone technology draws inspiration from software-defined radio (SDR), a paradigm that revolutionized wireless communication by enabling flexible, reconfigurable signal processing. Similarly, a software-defined hydrophone (SDH) can transform ocean monitoring by providing adaptable, real-time processing capabilities. By dynamically adjusting sampling rates, frequency bands, and processing algorithms, an SDH can efficiently monitor diverse acoustic signals in real time, enhancing the scope and accuracy of marine observation. To make passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) ubiquitous, persistent, and autonomous, blueiq proposes combining low-power SDH and edge processing with artificial intelligence (AI) on its openear sensor, making PAM both scalable and affordable.