The Underwater World: Still Just as Murky as Ever?
So, URI held another IEEE Underwater Acoustic Signal Processing Workshop, huh? Seems like they've been doing this since, like, forever. 1985? That's before the internet really took off. Before everyone had a smartphone surgically attached to their hand. What were they even talking about back then? Whale songs and Cold War subs? Probably.
The Same Song and Dance
Okay, so it's biannual, hosted at URI. NUWC – that's the Navy's full-spectrum undersea warfare R&D shop – is involved. Office of Naval Research throws some cash at it. Blah, blah, blah. You know, the usual suspects. It's all about “detecting, localizing, and classifying sounds of interest.” Translation: spying on stuff underwater. I mean, let’s be real, how much of this research is actually about, like, saving the whales versus figuring out how to sink enemy submarines more efficiently?
And Kaushallya Adhikari is chairing it again in 2027. Good for her, I guess. But does anyone else find it a little… convenient that the same person gets to run the show for three consecutive workshops? I mean, is there no one else qualified? Or is it just easier to stick with the status quo? And offcourse, they call it an "informal atmosphere." Right, like a bunch of engineers in a room talking about signal processing is exactly what I would call a party. Sorry, gotta vent. My internet provider is throttling my speed again. I swear, these monopolies…
Echoes of the Past, Whispers of the Future
They keep talking about how important underwater acoustics are to "industry and defense agencies." No kidding. Sound travels faster in water than air. Makes sense. But what about the environmental impact? All that sonar pinging can't be good for marine life. Do they even think about that? Or is it just full speed ahead with the tech, consequences be damned?
The fact that Woods Hole and Scripps are involved is… interesting. At least some non-profits are in the mix. But are they really influencing anything, or just window dressing to make the whole thing look less… militaristic? I don't know, maybe I'm being too cynical. Then again, maybe I'm not cynical enough.
Professor Richard Vaccaro has been to every workshop since the start. That's dedication, I guess. Or maybe he just really likes the free coffee and donuts. What kind of breakthroughs has this workshop actually produced over the years? Are we talking about incremental improvements, or game-changing innovations? The IEEE papers, the IEEE transactions, the IEEE xplore stuff—it's all just a bunch of jargon to me.
Grad Students and a "Close-Knit Community"
They supposedly encourage participation from graduate students, even subsidizing their travel. That's nice. Get 'em hooked young, right? Start 'em on the path to a career in underwater surveillance. Seriously though, is it ethical to be grooming the next generation of engineers for what is essentially a military-industrial complex? I mean, what choice do these kids have? Jobs are scarce, and the Navy's got deep pockets.
Adhikari says it's a "close-knit community." Sure, that's what they all say. But what does that really mean? Does it mean everyone agrees with each other? Does it mean there's no room for dissenting opinions? I bet there's some seriously awkward small talk at the coffee breaks.
Just Another Cog in the Machine
This whole thing just feels like another example of academia, industry, and the military cozying up to each other. And frankly, I'm tired of it. It's all about money, power, and control. What about the bigger picture? What about the ethical implications? What about the goddamn whales? I ain't buying it.