Manu Ignatius is CEO of Subnero, a startup specialising in underwater communication. He tells Gen.T what the Internet of things will look like underwater—and the huge potential impact of the technology
Manu Ignatius is one of 20 recipients of the Gen.T X Credit Suisse Social Impact Awards. The awards recognise Gen.T honourees who have made significant contributions to Asian society in the fields of social impact, sustainability or innovation.
Manu Ignatius is causing a splash in the world of underwater communication. His company Subnero provides high-performance, wireless underwater communication, navigation, monitoring and sensing solutions to environmental, defence and oil and gas companies.
“We tend to take communication infrastructure or things like mobile phones and the internet for granted these days,” says Ignatius. “But that’s really different in the marine world.”
“At the moment, underwater communication is similar to old analogue telephone lines, where the communication links are from point A to point B. But in the future we hope to have a true internet of underwater things, where any device will be able to connect to the internet as we do on land today—without setting up customised networks.”
See also: I Am Generation T: Manu Ignatius
Customised underwater networks are essential for a number of purposes such as marine conservation, but the current high cost is a barrier for many.