The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Marine AI · Robotics · Ocean Science · Nature-based Solutions
CMI / Center for Marine Intelligence海洋智能中心 · HKUST

OUR RESEARCH

Four programs.
One living ocean.

We connect AI, sensing and robotics with ocean science and conservation to understand marine environments and support healthier coastal ecosystems.

MarineEVT project examples of marine behaviour, species interactions and event reasoning

Project spotlight MarineEVT & EVT-R1

RESEARCH PROGRAM 01

Marine AI & Ocean Understanding

Connect visual, acoustic and environmental observations with marine AI to understand the ocean across space and time.

  • Marine AI & Foundation Models
  • Multimodal Marine Reasoning & Understanding
  • Marine 3D/4D Mapping
  • Persistent Ocean Observation
Explore this program
Blue multi-sensor underwater ROV with camera housings, scanning sonar and a tether reel beside the water

Project spotlight Multi-sensor underwater robotic platform

RESEARCH PROGRAM 02

Marine Embodied Intelligence & Systems

Develop novel sensing devices, robotic platforms and embodied intelligence for marine exploration, navigation and physical interaction.

  • Sensing devices & robotic platforms
  • Soft & bio-inspired robotics
  • Perception, navigation & coordination
  • Underwater manipulation
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MarineInst identifies and segments a ray and a sea slug using point and box prompts

Project spotlight MarineInst

RESEARCH PROGRAM 03

Marine Ecosystem & Biodiversity Intelligence

Ecological research by our Ocean Science colleagues on coral reefs, marine biodiversity and microbial communities, connected with marine AI and observation.

  • Coral reef ecosystems
  • eDNA & biodiversity monitoring
  • Marine microbial ecology
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CONNECTING ALL FOUR PROGRAMS

A shared
living laboratory.

HKUST’s coastal campus provides a shared setting for research across our four programs. At the campus pier, the Sustainable Smart Campus Pier project is developing a Living Marine Lab with underwater cameras, environmental sensing, AI-assisted monitoring and coral gardening.

By connecting ecological observation with technology development, the pier creates opportunities to study marine life, test new approaches and involve students and the wider community in marine conservation.

Discover life beneath our pier About the SSC Pier project ↗
The HKUST pier with its underwater observation platform submerged in clear water