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Ocean Technology Transition

IOOS in Action, Observing Systems

Ocean Technology Transition

IOOS advances technology through the transition of ocean, coastal, and marine sensors and platforms to operations.

Mission

The IOOS Ocean Technology Transition program sponsors the transition of emerging marine observing technologies, for which there is an existing operational requirement and a demonstrated commitment to integration and use by the ocean observing community, to operational mode.

Vision

Transitioning marine observing technology to operations will result in improved ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observing capabilities that are critical for helping us understand our ocean, coastal, and marine environments and improve environmental intelligence for decision making.

OTT - HABs and Hypoxia

IOOS Ocean Technology Transition Program has supported efforts to address two water quality issues: Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) and Hypoxia.

OTT - Applications of Machine Learning and AI

Advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence are enabling new ways to automate, interpret, and apply ocean observation data.

OTT - Low Cost/Accessible Ocean Technology

Low cost and accessible sensors are designed to lower barriers to development and deployment of sensors to better fill data gaps and broaden the use of a variety of sensors.

NOAA's Fisheries Collection Credit: NOAA News April 30 2014

Ocean Acidification

The ocean chemistry of the seawater is rapidly changing, affecting animal growth, survival and behavior, and depleting the ocean of calcium carbonate, a nutrient vital for shellfish to build shells.

OTT - Animal Borne Sensors

Animal telemetry is the science of elucidating the movements and behavior of animals as they move through the world’s oceans, coastal rivers, estuaries and great lakes.

OTT - Physical Earth Observations

The ability to observe physical oceanographic variables such as sea surface currents, temperature, salinity, external and internal tides, and surface waves support a vast array of stakeholders and missions.

FY 2026 Funding Opportunity

The FY 2026 Ocean Technology Transition Program competition closed July 15, 2026. Read the announcement and FAQ. No FY26 awardees have been published.

FY23 Funded Projects

The following projects were funded through the FY23 Ocean Technology Transition Notice of Funding Opportunity:

Legacy project list (includes FY20 projects marked with an asterisk)

Building Coupled Storm Surge and Wave Operational Forecasting Capacity for Western Alaska

Data Integration and Web-based Model Validation Tool for NOAA CO-OPS

Transitioning Lake Erie Harmful Algal Blooms Early Warning System to Sustainable Operational Form

Unmanned Surface Vehicle for Autonomous Hypoxia Monitoring *

Advancing and integrating animal-borne tags into regional ocean observatories in the Northwest Atlantic *

Technology Transfer of a Surface pCO2 Flux Instrument for Autonomous Platform Applications *

Real-time Monitoring of the Impact of Observing Systems on Ocean Analysis – Forecast Systems in Support of U.S. IOOS

Operationalizing Real-Time Telemetry Onboard Commercial Fishing Vessels in the Northeast

Launching WebCOOS: Webcams for Coastal Observations and Operational Support *

Autonomous Offshore HAB Sampling Surveys with the OceanAero Triton in the Pacific Northwest *

Software Tools for the Mitigation of Wind Turbine Interference in the U.S. IOOS Network *

Past Projects

Pacific Ocean Acidification Project

Gulf of Maine Environmental Sensor Processor Deployment to Support HAB Detection

Detecting Harmful Algal Blooms in the Pacific Northwest

Imaging Flow CytoBot Data Integration

Tracking Ocean Alkalinity using New Carbon Measurement Technologies (TAACT)

Enhancing Pacific OA Observing

Northeastern United States Nutrient Observatory

Detecting Arctic Ice Freeze Up

Hawaii Shark Tagging Project

Transitioning IFCB for Harmful Algal Bloom Mitigation and Research

Documents

Frequently Asked Questions

2020 OTT Funding Opportunity FAQs

Announcements

Seattle Times, Scientists launch ‘ocean robot’ to test Washington waters for shellfish toxins [May, 2016]

Miami Herald, Ocean ‘robot’ to help identity toxic algae off Washington [May 2016]

Hakai Institute Deploys Canada’s First Burke-o-later to Monitor Ocean Acidification [April, 2016]

Pacific Northwest OTT HAB buoy featured on Seattle, WA local news station KING5 [June, 2015]

Operational Nutrient Observatory in the Northeast featured in National Water Quality Monitoring Council’s 10th edition of “National Water Monitoring News” [May, 2015]

FY17 Projects Announcement [September, 2017]

FY15 Projects Announcement [August, 2015]

Pacific Ocean Acidification Portal Launched [October, 2014]

FY14 Projects Announcement [September, 2014]

FY13 Projects Announcement [September, 2013]