Institute of Acoustics,Chinese Academy of Sciences

What Institute of Acoustics,Chinese Academy of Sciences does

The Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOA/IACAS) is a state-owned comprehensive research organization specializing in basic and applied acoustics, information processing technologies, and acoustic systems aligned with China's national strategic needs. It operates as a constituent institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), headquartered at No. 21 North 4th Ring Road, Haidian District, Beijing. The institute's research portfolio spans deep-sea acoustic systems, underwater communication and navigation, sonar engineering, acoustic sensors and transducers, and acoustic-based infrastructure inspection.

IOA's core technology centers on underwater acoustic systems, including deep-water acoustic communication modems, topography detection sonar, multibeam forward looking sonar, Doppler velocity logs, obstacle avoidance sonar, and integrated navigation systems that combine positioning sonar with inertial navigation. Its flagship engineering achievement is the fully domestically-produced acoustic suite deployed on China's Fendouzhe 10,000-meter manned submersible, which established real-time text, voice, and image transmission from the 10,909-meter Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench to the surface mother ship in 2020. The institute has also developed acoustic-based underground pipe leak detection using ground-surface vibration measurement and image fusion, surface acoustic wave sensors, and high-frequency focused ultrasound transducers for medical and industrial applications.

The institute operates as a non-commercial government research institution rather than a revenue-generating enterprise. Funding flows from CAS, the Chinese State Council, and National Key Research and Development Programs (specially supported since 2016 for deep-sea equipment), with no disclosed commercial pricing, product revenue, or external shareholders. Outputs are delivered through peer-reviewed scientific publications, government program milestones, and academic collaborations such as the joint pipe-leak-detection research with Tsinghua University. Customer relationships are essentially singular — directed national strategic priorities — and outputs are measured by technical milestones and publications rather than commercial sales.

Name

Institute of Acoustics,Chinese Academy of Sciences

Legal name

Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Website

https://english.ioa.cas.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Institute of Acoustics (IOA) is a Chinese Academy of Sciences research institute in Beijing that develops deep-sea acoustic systems, sonar, underwater communication, and acoustic sensing technologies to serve China's national strategic deep-sea exploration and applied acoustics programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Acoustic Research and Underwater Sonar Systems

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Sonar, Undersea Sensors & Acoustic Detection Systems (IMABAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Active Leak Detection & Acoustic Surveying (Ground Mics, Correlators, Hydrophones) (EUANAKAA), Marine Sensors, Instrumentation & IoT (Condition Monitoring) (IMAJAJAI), Naval Sensors & Sonar Systems (IMABAKAD)

Keywords

• Underwater acoustic systems
• Deep-sea sonar equipment
• Acoustic signal processing
• Underwater navigation technology
• Acoustic sensor research

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

IOA is a government research organization under the Chinese Academy of Sciences that conducts basic and applied acoustics research and develops acoustic technology systems for national strategic needs. Its core deliverables include deep-sea acoustic systems (deep-water communication modems, sonar suites, Doppler velocity logs, and integrated navigation systems) for the Fendouzhe manned submersible, as well as acoustic-based sensing methods for applications such as underground pipe leak detection and chemical sensors.

Product overview

The Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IACAS) is a comprehensive research organization specializing in basic and applied acoustics and information processing technologies. Rather than a commercial product company, IACAS conducts research and develops acoustic technologies for national strategic needs. Their key research areas include deep-sea acoustic systems (such as the complete acoustic system for the Fendouzhe submersible featuring communication modem, sonar systems, and navigation equipment), underground pipe leak detection methods, and various acoustic sensors and transducers. The institute publishes educational resources on acoustics but does not offer commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Deep-Water Acoustic Communication Modem Underwater acoustic communication system enabling real-time transmission of text, voice, and image from 10,000-meter seabed to mother ship, deployed on the Fendouzhe deep-sea manned submersible and connecting it with the Exploration-I mother ship at full ocean depth.
• Topography Detection Sonar Sonar system for seabed topography detection and mapping, developed as part of the Fendouzhe submersible acoustic system.
• Multibeam Forward Looking Sonar Forward-looking multibeam sonar system for obstacle detection and navigation in deep-sea operations, part of the Fendouzhe acoustic suite.
• Doppler Velocity Log Acoustic Doppler velocity measurement system providing high-precision underwater velocity data for navigation, integrated into the Fendouzhe submersible navigation system.
• Obstacle Avoidance Sonar Sonar system for detecting obstacles in the underwater environment during deep-sea submersible operations, part of the Fendouzhe acoustic suite.
• Integrated Navigation System for Deep-Sea Submersibles Combined positioning sonar and inertial navigation system providing high-precision underwater positioning and navigation for deep-sea cruising operations, used on the Fendouzhe submersible.
• Underground Pipeline Leak Detection System Acoustic method for locating buried pipes based on ground surface vibration measurements using seismometer arrays, combined with acoustic techniques for multiple-leakage detection and remote sensing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully transmitted text, voice, and image from 10,000-meter seabed in real-time
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Tsinghua UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2020IOA researchers collaborated with Tsinghua University researchers to develop an image fusion method for detecting underground pipe leaks. The collaboration combined IOA's acoustic method for locating buried pipes with Tsinghua's expertise to create a feasible approach for remote sensing and multiple-leakage detection using seismometer arrays and acoustic techniques.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sonardyne: UK-based specialist in underwater acoustic positioning, navigation, and communication systems — directly comparable to IOA's deep-water acoustic modem, positioning sonar, and integrated navigation suite for Fendouzhe.
• Ultra Maritime (Ultra Electronics): Specializes in naval sonar systems, underwater acoustics, and sonar signal processing — directly comparable to IOA's sonar suite (topography, multibeam forward-looking, obstacle avoidance) used in deep-sea operations.
• iXblue (now Exail): French specialist in underwater acoustic positioning, inertial navigation, and subsea imaging. Directly comparable to IOA's positioning sonar and inertial navigation integration for high-precision underwater operations.

Broad incumbents

• Thales Group: French defense and aerospace group with significant underwater systems and sonar operations (Thales Underwater Systems). Comparable in sonar/acoustic domain expertise though operating at much larger scale across many verticals.
• Kongsberg Maritime: Norwegian marine technology major with a substantial underwater acoustics, sonar, and subsea positioning portfolio — overlaps with IOA's multibeam, Doppler velocity log, and integrated navigation offerings as part of a wider marine product suite.
• Teledyne Marine (Teledyne Technologies): US-based marine instrumentation group producing sonar, acoustic modems, and subsea sensors. Comparable to IOA's acoustic sensor/transducer portfolio and underwater mapping capabilities, though within a much broader corporate portfolio.
• Hensoldt (formerly Atlas Elektronik): German defense sensor house with deep sonar and naval acoustic systems heritage through Atlas Elektronik. Comparable to IOA's naval-grade sonar and acoustic detection capabilities as part of a larger defense portfolio.
• Furuno Electric: Japanese marine electronics company producing sonar, fish-finding, and underwater acoustic systems. Comparable to IOA's marine acoustic instruments though primarily serving commercial fishing/navigation markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Acoustics,Chinese Academy of Sciences