THE PROJECT

About ROMEO

smaRt Online Multisensory systEm for microplastic quantificatiOn and water quality assessment

Project Summary

The ROMEO project 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 off-the-shelf (COTS) environmental sensors to enable the continuous detection and classification of microplastics, diatoms, and key physicochemical parameters directly in aquatic environments, reducing reliance on time-consuming laboratory analyses.

A key innovation of ROMEO is the combination of this multisensory platform with autonomous, renewable-energy-powered surface vessels, allowing for georeferenced, continuous, and cost-effective data collection across diverse marine regions. The collected data feed into a digital twin of aquatic ecosystems, enabling real-time visualization, advanced analytics, and predictive modeling to support environmental assessment and decision-making.

ROMEO will validate its technology across four representative pilot sites — in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Turkish aquaculture waters, and the Atlantic Ocean (Guanabara Bay, Brazil) — ensuring robustness across different environmental and operational conditions.

By delivering reliable, interoperable, and openly accessible data aligned with European marine data infrastructures, ROMEO contributes to sustainable blue economy goals, supports evidence-based policymaking, and strengthens Europe’s capacity for digital, data-driven ocean monitoring and protection.

Key Objectives

01
Develop a Real-Time Multisensory Monitoring System
Design and implement an integrated platform combining digital holographic microscopy, AI, and environmental sensors to continuously monitor microplastics, diatoms, and water quality parameters directly in aquatic environments.
02
Enable Automated Detection and Classification Using AI
Apply advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to automatically identify and quantify microplastics and biological indicators, reducing reliance on manual, laboratory-based analyses.
03
Create a Digital Twin of Aquatic Ecosystems
Develop a digital twin framework that integrates multisensory data to enable real-time visualization, simulation, and prediction of ecosystem dynamics and environmental changes.
04
Deploy the System on Autonomous Surface Vessels
Integrate the ROMEO platform on renewable-energy-powered autonomous sailboats to ensure cost-effective, scalable, and georeferenced marine monitoring.
05
Validate the Technology in Diverse Marine Environments
Test and demonstrate the system across four pilot sites in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Turkish aquaculture waters, and the Atlantic Ocean (Guanabara Bay, Brazil), to ensure robustness and operational reliability.
06
Ensure Data Interoperability and Open Access
Align ROMEO data and outputs with European marine data infrastructures and standards to support interoperability, transparency, and reuse.
07
Maximize Impact Through Dissemination and Exploitation
Promote wide adoption of ROMEO's results through targeted communication, stakeholder engagement, and exploitation strategies supporting long-term sustainability and market uptake.

Expected Outcomes

N

Operational Real-Time Monitoring System

A fully integrated and validated platform capable of detecting microplastics, diatoms, and key water quality parameters directly in aquatic environments using AI and advanced sensing technologies.
N

AI-Driven Environmental Analysis Tools

Robust artificial intelligence models enabling accurate, real-time classification and quantification of microplastics and biological indicators, significantly reducing manual analysis and response times.
N

Digital Twin of Aquatic Ecosystems

A functional digital twin framework that transforms multisensory data into real-time visualization, simulation, and predictive insights supporting ecosystem assessment and management.
N

Validated Multi-Site Deployments

Demonstrated system performance across Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Atlantic pilot sites, including aquaculture environments, proving scalability and adaptability under real operational conditions.
N

Interoperable Environmental Data

High-quality, georeferenced datasets aligned with European marine data infrastructures, enabling data sharing, reuse, and integration into broader ocean observation systems.
N

Improved Decision-Support for Marine Management

Actionable insights for policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders to support pollution mitigation, aquaculture sustainability, and marine ecosystem protection.

Explore Our Technology

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