Objective
Acoustic recordings of ocean noise offer vital insights into marine ecosystems, revealing the impacts of human activities such as noise pollution and climate change. Large baleen whales like blue and fin whales emit low-frequency calls that travel long distances and can be detected by ocean bottom seismometers (OBS)—instruments originally deployed for seismological research. This makes OBSs a cost-effective, passive tool for long-term marine mammal and ocean noise monitoring in deep and remote areas. Traditional whale call detection methods are often inefficient in noisy environments and demand extensive manual effort. To overcome this, we developed new machine learning algorithms—carried out as part of an ERC UPFLOW spin-off project—that work in low-data training regimes to detect whale vocalisations, reverberations, and other signals within the unique UPFLOW OBS dataset, the largest of its kind in the Atlantic. We detected half million of whale calls in UPFLOW’s data in just two days, compared to the months-long timeline required by existing tools. Validated on independent OBS data, our approach accurately identifies whale calls in different oceans and can even automate the tracking of individual whales with minimal manual input. The goal of DeepSonic is to deliver a user-friendly, open-source software package for ocean noise analysis, bringing our ground-breaking algorithms to users beyond the seismology community. Initially tested with stakeholders OKEANOS (Azores) and Marine Conservation Research International (MCR), it will be integrated into PAMGuard, the go-to software platform for marine mammals passive monitoring, and later scaled to European and global monitoring observatories. Beyond whale monitoring, the software can also extend to other signals from dolphins, ships and marine infrastructure. Long-term goals include building a strong IP base and commercial pathway, targeting sectors such as offshore wind, subsea cables, and environmental regulation.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2026-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
WC1E 6BT London
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.