PROGRAMME

September, 8th | Technical preparation and planning [UAc, LabTech] [Team's meeting]

09:30 – 10:00 | Face-to-face meeting, technical briefing and campaign objectives

10:00 – 13:00 | Preparation, integration and functional testing

13:00 – 14:30 | Free Lunch

14:30 – 16:00 | Sensor configuration and data acquisition procedures

16:00 – 17:30 | Mission plans, logistics and safety

September 9th | Marine survey 

Departed at 10h00 from Ponta Delgada in the Quatro Ventos Catamaran from Futurismo. Two ROVS: Blue Rov (IS2E) and FiFish (CIBIO). 

Survey A | Geology – Submarine gas emissions

Survey B | Biology – Invasive algae and black corals

September 10th | Marine survey 

Data compilation and results discussion. Preparation for Public Session.

September, 11th | Public session [UAc, Anfiteatro 8]

This session is open to companies,  public entities, research centres, R&D projects, researchers and students. 

09:30 – 9:45 | Opening Session

The session will be chaired by the event’s organisers, Professors José Cascalho (IS2E LIACC), Andrea Zita Botelho (CIBIO), Fátima Viveiros (IVAR), Nuno Cruz (INESC-TEC)  and the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Professor Luis Silva.

• Objectives of WAVES: knowledge transfer between research and public and private organisations, and the promotion of joint research projects.

09:45 – 10:00 | WAVES'26 From Geology to Biology [Armando Mendes, IS2E LIACC]

• Summary of previous editions and presentation of the WAVES 2026 programme.

• General introduction to the workshop, participants and organising bodies.

10:00 – 11:15 | Open forum – Projects, issues, needs and challenges [Diogo Correia, UAc]

• Short presentations (10-15 mins) by companies, organisations, R&D projects and PhD research:

• IS2E LIACC (José Cascalho)

• CIBIO-Açores (Andrea Zita Botelho)

• IVAR (Fátima Viveiros)

• INESC-TEC (Nuno Cruz)

• FUTURISMO (Margarida Rolim e Valeria Garcês )

• Current projects, outstanding issues, technological needs, challenges and opportunities for collaboration in the maritime sector in the Azores.

• Cross-cutting discussion of the needs presented and identification of potential synergies between science,

technology, companies and end-users.

11:15 – 11:45 | Coffee Break

11:45 – 12:30 | The AI4Ports Project [AI4Ports team]

This project was carried out between 2025 and 2026 in partnership between IS 2E at the University of the Azores and INESC TEC, with applications for the ports of the Azores.

• Introduction, objectives and partners – IS2E.

• Technological developments: ROV, sensors and control console – IS2E.

• Algorithm development and results – INESC TEC.

12:30 – 14:00 | Free Lunch 

14:00 – 14:30 | Issues addressed at WAVES 2026 [IVAR and CIBIO]

• Geology – gas emissions: the problem, what is already known and what remains to be learnt – IVAR.

• Biology – invasive algae and black corals: the problem, what is already known and what remains to be learnt – CIBIO-AÇORES.

14:30 – 15:00 | Equipment and methods prepared for WAVES 2026 [Armando Mendes, IS2E LIACC] 

• ROVs, sensors and configurations used in the campaigns.

• Mission plans and data acquisition strategy.

15:00 – 16:00 | Preliminary results from the campaigns [José Cascalho, IS2E LIACC]

• Geology and Biology – event reports and logistics, maps/routes, selection of images and sonar data,

and initial observations.

• Presentation of experimental evidence and preliminary results from data processing.

16:00 – 16:30 | Coffee Break

16:30 – 17:00 | Discussion and possibilities for follow-up [Nuno Cruz, INESC-TEC]

• Complementary sensors and new acquisition configurations.

• Post-processing, integrated data analysis and requirements for further validation.

• Possible new campaigns, research projects and opportunities for collaboration.

17:00 - 17:30 | Closing remarks