FUNDED BY SBEP
Revolutionising Real-Time Marine Monitoring
ROMEO develops an AI-powered multisensory system for detecting microplastics, monitoring water quality, and building a digital twin of aquatic ecosystems — deployed on autonomous vessels across European and Atlantic waters.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
What is ROMEO?
The ROMEO project (smaRt Online Multisensory systEm for microplastic quantificatiOn and water quality assessment) aims to advance the way marine environments are monitored by developing an innovative, real-time, and AI-enabled multisensory system for assessing water quality and ecosystem health.
ROMEO integrates digital holographic microscopy, artificial intelligence, and commercial environmental sensors to enable the continuous detection and classification of microplastics, diatoms, and key physicochemical parameters directly in aquatic environments.
OUR MISSION
Key Objectives
Real-Time Monitoring
Design and implement an integrated platform combining digital holographic microscopy, AI, and environmental sensors for continuous monitoring.
AI-Powered Detection
Apply advanced AI algorithms to automatically identify and quantify microplastics and biological indicators in real time.
Digital Twin
Develop a digital twin framework integrating multisensory data for real-time visualization, simulation, and prediction of ecosystem dynamics.
Autonomous Vessels
Deploy the system on renewable-energy-powered autonomous sailboats for cost-effective, scalable marine monitoring.
Multi-Site Validation
Validate across Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Atlantic pilot sites including aquaculture environments.
Open Data & Impact
Deliver interoperable data aligned with EU marine data infrastructures, supporting evidence-based policymaking.
INNOVATION
Core Technologies
Digital Holographic Microscopy
World-leading coherent light microscopy for real-time imaging of microplastics and diatoms at microscopic scale.
Artificial Intelligence
Deep learning models for automated classification, quantification, and pattern recognition in environmental samples.
Digital Twin
A virtual replica of aquatic ecosystems enabling real-time visualization, analytics, and predictive modeling.
Autonomous Sailboats
Renewable-energy-powered vessels for continuous, georeferenced data collection across diverse marine environments.
FIELD VALIDATION
Pilot Sites Across European and Atlantic Waters
Porto Cesareo MPA, Italy
Mediterranean Sea
Real-world validation in one of the largest marine protected areas in the Mediterranean, testing microplastic detection and ecosystem health monitoring under operational conditions.
PCMPA & CNR-ISASI
Romania
Black Sea
Environmental telemetry deployment focusing on water quality monitoring and IoT-based communication systems for continuous marine data collection.
BEIA
Turkey
Aquaculture Environments
Deployment on autonomous sailboats around fish farming locations, monitoring water quality, diatom populations, and microplastic contamination in aquaculture settings.
Istanbul University
Guanabara Bay, Brazil
Atlantic Ocean
Wind- and solar-powered autonomous sailboats deployed in Guanabara Bay, feeding an interactive digital twin platform to monitor water pollution, overfishing and ecosystem health.
UFF
Our Consortium
Stay Updated on ROMEO’s Progress
Follow our journey as we develop next-generation tools for marine environmental monitoring.