For over two decades, we have been working in underwater acoustics. So, it’s not a surprise that a lot has changed since 2005, when we first sent processed data from 3500m deep to the surface. At that time, no one had ever done anything at that depth and scale.
In the early 2000s, underwater sound was still largely viewed as the domain of naval and defense applications. That perception began to shift in the following decade as scientists increasingly turned to acoustic recorders to study marine mammals. Passive acoustics proved to be an indispensable tool that was capable of showing marine mammal behavior, and environmental change in ways no other sensor could.
As the research continued, so did awareness of ocean sound more broadly. It became clear that listening was not optional. Sound-based monitoring offered insights that were too important to ignore, and that’s likely grow in importance.
Looking ahead, the next decade will be defined less by whether we use underwater acoustics, and more by who is using acoustics.
As customer needs evolve, so do expectations. We are not selling to singular acousticians or specialized researchers anymore. Our customer base is bigger than ever before, and their needs are different. For years, we’ve been preparing for this shift. Making instruments that are simple to use because we’ve known that the industry is evolving. Looking at spectrograms will always be necessary, but artificial intelligence and machine learning (not novel ideas anymore) will be embedded in workflows to automatically detect, classify, and identify sounds.
Many of us would agree that people stick with what they know until they see clear benefits in changing. But generational shifts are starting to play a role in the adoption of new technology. Those entering the workforce over the past decade are comfortable working with “smart” instruments and expect technology to reduce busy work rather than create it. The “raw” data that was so desirable ten years ago is becoming obsolete as we build trust in the smart instruments that streamline our work.
Today, raw data storage capacity is no longer the limiting factor; efficient automation is. Without it, many projects simply will not scale. When we talk about making hydrophones “smarter” over the next five years, we mean instruments that can handle tedious tasks automatically, perform complex analyses such as sound imaging or underwater radiated noise measurements, and multitask, for example, identifying species while simultaneously tracking vessels.
Sound remains one of the most effective ways to transmit information, navigate, and communicate. Marine species have relied on sound and particle motion to maintain awareness of their surroundings in the dark ocean. As we continue to learn how animals use sound for foraging, communication, and spatial awareness, we explore how acoustic data can be combined with other information, such as visual images, to create a more complete picture of the underwater world.
This convergence opens doors for new audiences who care about underwater listening – and for those who don’t even know that they care yet!
Moving into 2026, the underwater acoustics sector should be focused on equipping nearly every ocean platform with listening capabilities. Autonomous underwater vehicles, gliders, and remotely operated vehicles are becoming more capable and increasingly demand advanced sensor integration. Operators are now deploying fleets of autonomous platforms equipped with acoustic sensors that can operate continuously and at scale.
Integrated across fleets, these systems reduce cost, minimize risk, and unlock entirely new operational models.
Within autonomous platforms, smarter AI-driven acoustics will enable real-time distinction between marine life, vessels, and environmental noise. This capability will improve situational awareness and support better decision-making.
Moving from away from using hydrophones as a singular entity, to one that is combined with multiple sensors, hydrophones have endless opportunities for integration. Hydrophones are no longer just instruments deployed for specific studies by specific people. They are becoming foundational sensors, quietly embedded across ocean infrastructure, helping us understand, navigate, and operate in an underwater world that still has so much to discover.
