Blue Unit in collaboration with SDU Sønderborg is developing new technology to secure a stable water quality in recirculation fish farms and create optimal conditions for fish to grow. The partnership was a result of a match made by Odense Robotics in connection with the innovation programme “AutomationsBoost”.
Blue Unit and SDU Sønderborg are currently collaborating on new measuring equipment to monitor water quality and growth conditions for fish in recirculation fish farms. “The Lab Station” will be unique in its ability to measure water quality online in up to 12 places on just one fish farm. The system will measure the levels of oxygen, saline, temperature, PH, carbon dioxide, bicarbonate buffer and more – parameters that influence each other. The Lab Station can then deliver a precise image of the complex developments in the water quality in real time, making it possible to prevent adverse developments. The collaboration between Blue Unit and SDU Sønderborg is a part of AutomationsBoost, which is run by RoboCluster and Erhvervshus Syddanmark. The match was made through Odense Robotics in 2017 when Blue Unit was considering participating. In the programme, SMVs with automation needs collaborate on innovation projects with suppliers of automation solutions or knowledge institutions.
Finding the right match
Blue Unit was eager to embark on the new innovation project, but needed to find a partner with the knowledge and insight needed to develop the technology. This search can be tricky, as companies want to keep their product under wraps yet also share enough information to secure a partner. Through the assistance from Odense Robotics, the company was put into contact with the university in Sønderborg, which had the knowledge and science Blue Unit needed. “The match with SDU Sønderborg enabled us to collaborate with a university with insights into the science we needed to develop a very special component for our product. The help we received from Odense Robotics in matching us with a compatible partner was essential to our success,” says Henrik Hamann Juel, CEO of Blue Unit. Blue Unit presented their collaboration with SDU yesterday at a RoboCluster and Erhvervshus Syddanmark event in Kolding, which showcased the latest results from AutomationsBoost.