Standard Presentation (12 minutes) Australian Marine Sciences Association 2025 Conference

Development of a Low-cost Hydrophone for Research, Education, and Citizen Science (119380)

Lucille Chapuis 1 , Mihai Burca 2 , Tess Gridley 3 , Xavier Mouy 4 , Artash Nath 5 , Sophie Nedelec 6 , Mark Roberts 7 , Sophie Seeyave 8 , Jim Theriault 9 , Ed Urban 10 , Rob Williams 11 , Walter Zimmer 12
  1. La Trobe University, Bundoora, VICTORIA, Australia
  2. National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Sgonico , Italy
  3. University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
  4. NOAA Fisheries, Woods Hole, USA
  5. Stanford University, Stanford, USA
  6. University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
  7. Underwater Things LLC, Seattle, USA
  8. Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans , Plymouth, UK
  9. Ocean Environmental Consulting, Halifax, Canada
  10. Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research , Newark, USA
  11. Oceans Initiative, Seattle, USA
  12. Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation, La Spezia, Italy

Marine bioacoustics, the study of underwater sound and its effects on marine organisms, is vital for ocean conservation. Hydrophones are used for ecosystem monitoring, species distribution studies, impact assessments, anti-poaching efforts, marine protected area management, climate change research, and restoration initiatives. However, the cost and complexity of existing autonomous systems, often exceeding US $3,000, limit accessibility, particularly for educational, citizen science, and resource-limited contexts.

In response, the Task Team on Low-Cost Hydrophones for Research, Education, and Citizen Science was established in 2023 under POGO (Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans), SCOR (Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research) and IQOE (International Quiet Ocean Experiment). This initiative aims to develop an open-source, modular, and autonomous hydrophone system that lowers barriers to entry, promoting innovation and wider participation in marine research and conservation.

Our prototype features hydrophone ceramics with a frequency response of 10 Hz to 100 kHz and a sensitivity of -180 dB re V/µPa. It includes a calibratable ARM Cortex M7-based data logger capable of sample rates up to 768 kHz, designed for extended field use.

By democratising access to this technology, we seek to unlock new opportunities for conservation and education worldwide.