KAUST President Jean-Lou Chameau spoke at The Atlantic's "What's Next?" event in Chicago on October 4th. He highlighted KAUST's role as a global science and technology university and its efforts in graduate education, research, and entrepreneurship. Chameau discussed KAUST's Li-Fi research and climate change studies in the Red Sea. Why it matters: The participation of KAUST in such international events helps to raise the university's profile and showcase its contributions to science and technology.
KAUST researchers developed a hybrid wireless communication system for non-invasive monitoring of marine animals, consisting of a lightweight, flexible, Bluetooth-enabled tag that stores sensor data underwater. The tag syncs data to floating receivers when the animal surfaces, which then relays the data via GSM or drones. The system is a collaboration between the Red Sea Research Center and KAUST's electrical engineering department. Why it matters: This technology provides researchers with detailed, near real-time data about marine animals, overcoming the limitations of invasive and impractical traditional tagging methods.