The company uses technology developed over a 10-year period by Prof. James Miller at URI’s Ocean Engineering and Ocean Technology Center. For the first time in the 100-year-old history of sonar, the technology allows a ship to see what’s ahead of it underwater in three dimensions and in real time. Early adopters of the technology have been luxury yachts and ecotourist adventure vessels, but this spring the company received a $99,940 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop a 3D sonar underwater threat detection system.

[MATTHEW] ZIMMERMAN: ...With 3D sonar, we’re able to give you range, angle and depth. That allows us to say this portion of the water is safe, this portion of the water is dangerous...

PBN: Do you have to modify your technology for your project with the Department of Homeland Security?
ZIMMERMAN: Yes...In many ports and harbors, there are many things that look like swimmers and divers acoustically – such as manatees or porpoises or seals. Obviously, those aren’t threats to the port environment and our system needs greater classification capability..