Dolphins use echolocation to find fish, navigate, communicate and avoid obstacles in their habitats. They use this ability in both crystal clear water and in dark and murky water. Josefin Starkhammar has worked with dolphin echolocation research at the department for 10 years. -"Their echolocation is based on ultrasound and it is far more advanced than any man made echolocation equipment developed so far. Therefore we want to learn more of how they use this extraordinary skill so that we perhaps can incorporate their successful methods into our own future machines.", Josefin says. "It is also very important to understand how their echolocation work to be able to protect all species from human activities at sea. Sadly, our planet have already lost one dolphin species due to the lack of knowledge of how to protect the animals in industrialized areas, and we have to do everything to make sure we don't loose another one."

The dolphin echolocation research at the BME department is led by Josefin Starkhammar, and started as a spin off project from the diagnostic ultrasound research conducted at the department. The Swedish Research Council granted the project funding for three more years.