Students and research associates from all over the world submitted their innovative Earth observation (EO) solutions to the Copernicus Masters University Challenge 2018 this summer. Following a multi-phase evaluation process, the top three finalists were selected from a pool of highly innovative research-driven solutions.
In no particular order, AZO is pleased to announce the top three finalists of the University Challenge 2018:
Marine Navigation Safety Monitor (MaNSaM)
MaNSaM is a revolutionary smart marine safety routing assistant application offering small-scale vessels more reliable customized routing services with respect to marine safety. Users receive marine routing and navigation services by simply inputting their own requests through mobile or PC apps. Computing work would then be done through MaNSaM cloud servers considering all kind of environmental and marine traffic factors. Customers will be able to reach the service by subscription or licensing.
Soil carbon sequestration in agricultural systems
Climate change, deforestation and unsustainable land use all heavily affect agriculture, in particular the soil wellness and productivity. Simultaneously, healthy soils play a key role in carbon sequestration, leading to climate change resilience. The project is aimed at creating a carbon credit system using satellite-blockchain technology to provide win-win effects for economic gains, environmental benefits, agro-biodiversity, conservation and environmental management and CO2 sequestration.
Continuous Sub Soil and Ground Deformation Monitoring
In this project, Multi-temporal Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) analysis will be applied to multi-temporal Sentinel-1 data for continuous monitoring of subsoil ground deformation induced by rainfall & hydrological processes. It will rely on the systematic processing of Sentinel-1 images to create continuously updated ground deformation data. Therefore, this research provides near real-time, low cost and remotely accessible monitoring system to mitigate possible slope instability risks.
The Copernicus Masters University Challenge seeks to bridge the gap between EO research and entrepreneurship. It is designed to offer a creative platform for developing the most cutting-edge ideas using EO data. In addition to establishing links to the world of business, the University Challenge increases the exposure and credibility of student-driven innovations at the global level.
Competition was tougher than ever this year with applications from more than 10 countries tackling important challenges as varied as climate change, land monitoring and emergency management. Thorsten Rudolph, Managing Director of AZO, said “It is fantastic to see such a diverse range of Earth observation solutions submitted by students and research associates from all over the world. The level of creativity and innovation coming out of these universities is inspiring and it is a pleasure to see the future of Earth observation coming through the competition”.
The winner of the University Challenge 2018 will be announced on stage at the Awards Ceremony of the Copernicus Masters on 4th December in Marseille, France. The highlight of the European Space Week, the Awards Ceremony celebrates the achievements of the Copernicus Masters winners, culminating in the awarding of the overall Copernicus Master for 2018. Be sure to join us for the announcement of the winner in Marseille!
