Students Amira Sulaiman, Shamsa Al Mansouri and Sarah Al Amri, under the supervision of Dr. Khawla Al Kaabi, Head of the Geography Department and Executive President for Innovation at UAE University, developed a multi-task and multi-purpose "Smart Submarine" for maritime navigation.

According to the students, the submarine is a modern technological equipment that utilises the latest developments in maritime navigation. It is equipped with sensors that measure the water temperature and the levels of salt and alkalinity, and provide accurate readings for the environment.

The submarine can provide a rich data source for maritime navigation and the environment on the sea floor, which will enable explorers and specialists to deal appropriately with the sea’s environment, contributing to the production of accurate and beneficial data for serving navigation, they added.

The "Smart Submarine" is a new innovation and a new step in the race for challenge and creativity, which UAE University students have taken on as part of their educational journey, Dr. Al Kaabi said.

The submarine also serves the country’s plans for advancing maritime navigation, and provides accurate data and statistics that can benefit specialists in the field, she added.

The submarine collects accurate data through a sonar that draws systemised and high-quality geographical maps of the sea floor, measures the degree of salt and alkaline in the water, and provides co-ordinates for different routes through the bottom of the sea, contributing to advances in maritime navigation, she further added.

According to Dr. Al Kaabi, the submarine can follow the activities of underwater teams, observe the work of maritime piracy, defeat the plans of pirates and detect petroleum leaks on the sea floor, as well as study and determine types of seaweeds, generate electricity from sea salt and search for missing bodies.

She added that the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2017) is an international platform to attract creative talent, and stated that UAE University is home to creative minds that can keep up with international changes and developments in all areas. The "Smart Submarine" was the starting innovation that suits the local environment, and was developed for military use, she further added.