MizLinx Wins First Place in "NEDO Challenge for BLUE ECONOMY" Competition, Sector 5

MizLinx Inc. (Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, CEO Naho Noshirou, hereinafter MizLinx) has won first place in "Sector 5: Hull Mapping and Condition Assessment" at the preliminary competition of the "NEDO Challenge for BLUE ECONOMY," a prize-based program organized by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (NEDO)※1. This competition was held from May 11 (Mon) to May 15 (Fri), 2026, at the Hirasawa Marine Center in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Figure 1: The underwater drone MizLinx UUV (underwater robot) developed by MizLinx

1. Competition Overview

The "NEDO Challenge for BLUE ECONOMY" is a NEDO prize-based program aimed at fostering innovative underwater measurement and observation technologies. It seeks advanced technological solutions for challenges faced by the ocean, such as responding to climate change due to global warming and preventing the cross-border movement of invasive species via ships. Many companies, research institutions, and universities with cutting-edge technologies in underwater robotics, sensing, and AI participated from across Japan. This preliminary competition featured contests in five sectors, including "Algae Measurement and Analysis Technology" and "Hull Mapping and Condition Assessment."

2. Participation and Award Details

Sector 5: "Hull Mapping and Condition Assessment" (Competition Date: May 15, 2026) - Winner

Proposal Name: "Development of a Hull Inspection Robot Capable of Navigating Confined Environments"

This competition challenged participants to measure a simulated hull (steel plate: 3m width x 3m length, 3m water depth) using underwater robots and accurately map the presence of biofouling (micro-fouling※2). MizLinx's hull inspection robot underwater drone, MizLinx UUV※3, was highly evaluated for its stable navigation in confined spaces and its technological capability to achieve fine-grained deposit detection using AI.

Award Comment

Sora Ishikawa, Director, MizLinx Inc.

"Thank you very much for this award. We are deeply honored that our continuous development of technologies contributing to the decarbonization and labor-saving of the maritime industry has been recognized. MizLinx will continue to promote further development and demonstration towards the social implementation of marine technology that fuses underwater robotics, IoT, and AI."

3. Overview of Developed Technology

The main technological features of the hull inspection robot system used by MizLinx in Sector 5 are as follows:

Navigation and Positioning: Stable navigation is achieved even in disturbed environments such as waves and currents, through self-position estimation using IMU※4, DVL※5, and acoustic sonar.

Close-up Imaging and Illumination: High-sensitivity cameras and LED lighting acquire clear images at distances of 0.5 to 4 meters from the hull. Proprietary underwater image enhancement technology ensures high-quality video even in low-light and turbid water conditions.

AI Analysis: Automatic detection of micro-fouling using a proprietary AI model. Detects minute deposits from hull images.

Figure 2: Proprietary underwater image enhancement technology (Left: Before processing, Right: After processing)

4. Future Development

Leveraging this award, MizLinx will further advance the development of its underwater robot system for hull inspection. By combining autonomous navigation, close-up imaging, and AI analysis, this system aims to improve the efficiency and reduce the labor required for hull inspections traditionally performed by divers or ROVs※6. Verification for practical application in the maritime industry will proceed.

※1 NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization): A national research and development agency under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

※2 Micro-fouling (Biofilm): A slimy layer (slime) attached to ship hulls, originating from microorganisms. Early detection is effective in preventing fuel consumption deterioration and the spread of invasive species.

※3 UUV: Abbreviation for Unmanned Underwater Vehicle. A general term for unmanned underwater vehicles capable of moving and working underwater without human presence.

※4 IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit): An inertial measurement unit that combines acceleration and gyro sensors to measure the body's acceleration and angular velocity. Used for attitude estimation and position補完 in underwater environments where GPS is unavailable.

※5 DVL (Doppler Velocity Log): A Doppler velocity sensor that measures velocity over the ground using the Doppler effect of ultrasound. Combined with an IMU, it enhances the accuracy of self-position estimation underwater.

※6 ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle): A remotely controlled underwater robot operated via cable.

Company Profile

Company Name: MizLinx Inc.

Representative: Naho Noshirou, President & CEO

Established: August 18, 2021

Location: Room 216, Shirasai Nish R&D Center, 8-5-7 Minamisenzu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo

Business Activities: Development and provision of marine monitoring systems / Development of underwater robots / Contract development, consulting, and joint research

Main Products: Marine Monitoring System "MizLinx Monitor" / Underwater Robot "MizLinx UUV"

Website: https://mizlinx.com/

Contact for Inquiries:

MizLinx Inc.

Public Relations: Sasaki

Email: [email protected]

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