K2D, an acronym of Knowledge and Data from the Deep to Space, is the name of the research project, worth 1.7M€, which dstelecom, in partnership with entities from the National Scientific and Technological System and MIT, propose to develop over the next three years, under the MIT Portugal Program, corresponding to the challenge of guaranteeing the sustainable evolution of the earth, through the monotoring of terrestrial systems, anticipating their critical failures. 

K2D addresses this challenge “proposing the development of a global scale and totally disruptive monitoring system for the oceans, from the depths to the surface, through sensing and satellite which allow a holistic  knowledge of the earth`s global system” advances dstelecom. 

The challenges under water and in particular at extremelly depths, are enourmous and the environmental exposure excessively hostile to conventional sensing approaches, which makes them extrmely expensive and makes any attempt to extend the monitoring approaches currently available to the atmosphere to the oceans impossible. For this reason, “K2D proposes to take advantage of the existing widespread infrastructure of submarine communications and energy transport cables to produce a network for continuous and real-time detection of vital signs of the land and, in particular, of the oceans”, he adds.  

The methodology implies the development of a synergistic set of components, which allows the collection of extensive and complex data from the oceans, including physical, chemical, biological and environmental variables and the combination of acoustic information and environmental DNA with other data sources, in addition to advanced modeling of hybridized geoinformatics with artificial intelligence tools to enrich models of geospatial and temporal information. The analysis of the information will allow “to describe and anticipate abnormal health patterns and human activities, especially those most prone to risks and extreme events”. 

The project also foresee the implementation, as a component, of AUVs - Autonomous Underwater Vehicle –, capable of  transporting sensors to remote areas, providing efficiently data collection, in the oceans. "The simultaneous sampling of oceanic variables, in different locations, contributes to a better understanding of the phenomena that can occur in the oceans, providing valuable data", reinforces the telecommunications company. 

Connectivity also emerges as a premise of K2D, by enabling optical cable repeaters with wireless communications, providing a line of communication to the land and assistance in terms of navigation. "We will work on new capabilities for repeaters, including acoustic communication (long range), high speed optical communication (short range), acoustic signaling for navigation assistance and integrated real-time sensors and charging points", concluded dstelecom. 

The Minho University (through the research centers IBS - Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability, ISISE - Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering and CMEMS - Center for MicroElectroMechanics Systems), INESC TEC, MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of the Azores, the Cintal - Center of Technological Investigation of Algarve, the AIR Centre - Atlantic International Research Center Develompment Association and the ASN – Alcatel Submarine Networks are part of the the list of partners involved in this project. 

This is not the only research project of the MIT Portugal Program with an imprint of dstelecom, given that the telecommunications company is also involved in the Aeros Constellation project, which aims to develop a nano satellite platform as a precursor to a future constellation to explore, monitor and enhance the oceans and space, in a sustainable way, and thus leverage scientific and economic synergies. 

Remember that K2D and Aeros Constellation were approved as part of a call for MIT flagship projects. With this challenge doubled, dstelecom is the only Portuguese company that collaborates in more than 1 project simultaneously.