MINKE

MINKE integrates key European marine metrology research infrastructures to propose an innovative framework of “quality of oceanographic data”
EU Project

MINKE (2021-2025)

EU Call

H2020

Total Funding

€ 4.994.955,00

IAAC Funding

€ 198.348,75

IAAC Department

Fab Lab Barcelona

Website

Description

MINKE aims to integrate key European marine metrology research infrastructures, to coordinate their use and development and propose an innovative framework of “quality of oceanographic data” for the different European actors in charge of monitoring and managing the marine ecosystems.

Partners

Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (Coordinator); Fab Lab Barcelona / IAAC, Institut Francais De Recherche Pour L’Exploitation De La Mer; Hellenic Centre For Marine Research; Consorcio Para El Diseno, Construccion, Equipamiento Y Explotacion De La Plataforma Oceanica De Canarias; Universitat Politecnica De Catalunya; Istituto Nazionale Di Oceanografia E Di Geofisica Sperimentale; Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche; Istituto Nazionale Di Ricerca Metrologica; Service Hydrographique Et Oceanographique De La Marine; Norsk Institutt For Vannforskning; National Oceanography Centre; Agenzia Nazionale Per Le Nuove Tecnologie, L’Energia E Lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile; Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt; Universite D’Aix Marseille; Universidad Catolica Del Norte; Anel.Lides SL; Laboratoire National De Metrologie Et D’Essais; 52 North Spatial Information Research Gmbh; Suomen Ymparistokeskus; Joint Programming Initiative On Healthy And Productive Seas And Oceans; European Multidisciplinary; Seafloorand Water Column Observatory – European Research Infrastructure Consortium (EMSO ERIC)

The project

MINKE aims to integrate key European marine metrology research infrastructures, to coordinate their use and development and propose an innovative framework of “quality of oceanographic data” for the different European actors in charge of monitoring and managing the marine ecosystems. This project, through the different Integration Activities (Networking, Transnational-Virtual Access and Joint Research), aims to lay the groundwork for creating the necessary synergies among the different involved actors in the quintuple helix model of innovation, creating a new community with complementary capabilities for Ocean & Coastal Observation, that will facilitate the transition towards a blue growth socio-economic system.

Objective

MINKE will integrate key European marine metrology research infrastructures, to coordinate their use and development and propose an innovative framework of “quality of oceanographic data” for the different European actors in charge of monitoring and managing the marine ecosystems. MINKE proposes a new vision in the design of marine monitoring networks considering two dimensions of data quality, accuracy and completeness, as the driving components of the quality in data acquisition. This new vision will be framed in a quintuple helix model of innovation, incorporating all the elements involved in the monitoring network design:

  • the context (ocean health), identifying the Essential Ocean variables (EOVs) as the key parameters to monitor
  • the civil society (NGO, Makers community, Social media and Citizen Science platforms) as the key actors to ensure data completeness
  • the academia researching new methods to ensure the accuracy and the global quality of the final products, developing tools for integrating the information of top-qualified oceanographic instruments and low-cost instrumentation.
  • the industry improving the performance of the observations with new instrumentation, data-transmission systems and cost-effective technologies
  • the governments that provide the legal and socio-economic frameworks to develop the proposed network

Our Contribution

Fab Lab Barcelona provides expert technological support and Citizen Science advice around the use and implementation of low cost sensors. It will aim to scale the use of low cost sensors in researchers and citizen scientists alike, and will aim to use the Fab Labs in Europe as part of the research infrastructure for environmental sensing and Citizen Science. Through an open hardware project like Smart Citizen Kit, Fab Lab will aim to demonstrate that low cost sensors are a feasible option for scientific research and that Citizen Science can provide helpful insights in more advanced scientific projects. With this collaboration between traditionally siloed actors such as researchers and scientists, we bring a fresh approach to research at different levels.

Who is it for?

MINKE is for anyone interested in understanding better how marine systems work and to measure them. MINKE provides support, sensors and infrastructure from top-level national and international research institutions as well as grassroots organizations that can help improve our oceans and protect them.

Researchers
Interested in using low cost sensors to improve data completeness and benefit from new technologies.

Citizens
Interested in participating in measuring the environment and understanding how we can better protect our oceans.

The project is funded by the European Commission within the Horizon 2020 Programme (2014-2020)
Grant Agreement No. 101008724