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The Project

Project facts

  • Project name: Advanced quantum avalanche detectors for aquatic monitoring
  • Project acronym: AQUADETECT
  • Project number: 101232577
  • Call: HORIZON-MSCA-2025-SE-01-01
  • Starting/Ending date: 1 May, 2026 - 30 April, 2030
  • Duration: 48 months
  • Budget: €1,287,570.00

Project Summary

Climate change, along with its effects such as rising sea levels, more frequent floods, and the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems, presents serious challenges for managing water resources. Monitoring water quality and environmental conditions is now critical for maintaining ecological balance and safeguarding aquatic habitats. 

The AQUADETECT project aims to address current challenges in water resource monitoring while minimizing any negative impacts on ecosystems. The project focuses on developing and implementing an advanced optical LIDAR system equipped with next generation optical sensors that are highly sensitive to single photons. Research by project partners indicates that these sensors are 60% more efficient at detecting photons compared to existing commercial models. The LIDAR system will be used to create three-dimensional maps of aquatic environments, enabling fast, accurate, and real-time data collection.

This innovative system is supported by a team of highly skilled scientists and engineers from Portugal, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Morocco, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The technology offers significant advantages, including reduced monitoring time, lower costs, and improved measurement resolution. It is designed for diverse applications such as flood risk assessment, mapping seabed topography, analyzing ecosystems, and monitoring underwater habitats.

The AQUADETECT project is expected to greatly improve water resource management, support EU water protection initiatives, and encourage the broader adoption of sustainable, environmentally friendly technologies.

Project Structure

  • Work Package WP1 – Design, Modelling, and Simulation of Innovative Sensors
    • Task 1.1 – Design Specifications
    • Task 1.2 – Modelling and Simulation of Sensor Parameters
  • Work Package WP2 – Elaboration and Fabrication of Individual Sensors
    • Task 2.1 – Preparation of Production RUN Cards
    • Task 2.2 – Fabrication Processes
  • Work Package WP3 – Electronic Module Components Manufacture, Testing and Software Development
    • Task 3.1 – Design and Simulation of Electronics and Software
    • Task 3.2 – Manufacturing and Calibration of Electronic Components
  • Work Package WP4 – Innovative LIDAR System Assembly
    • Task 4.1 – Precise Assembly of Sensor Matrix
    • Task 4.2 – LIDAR Detector Module Elaboration
  • Work Package WP5 – LIDAR Prototype Testing & Validation
    • Task 5.1 – Real-World Deployment and Performance Measurement
    • Task 5.2 – Comparative Performance Testing
  • Work Package WP6 – Management

Deliverables

  • D1.1- Protocol on structural development and properties of silicon photodetectors
  • D2.1- Protocol on run-card preparation and the algorithms of productions
  • D2.2 - Characteristic and Performance of the Photodiodes
  • D3.1 - Protocol on development of Electronic board and Software
  • D4.1- Prototype Detector’s Module for LIDAR bathymetry systems
  • D5.1- Technical documentation LIDAR production: Patent Application
  • D6.1- Data Management Plan
  • D6.2 - Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation Plan
  • D6.3 - 1st Progress Report
  • D6.4 - Mid-teem Meeting
  • D6.5 - Project Conference

Milestones

Project Kick-off meeting