Research kicks off to build smart whale detectors for boats
Taskforce taps into smart machine software group to collect boat data on how to spot, and avoid, whalesUS-based marine industries including outboard engine maker Yamaha, sports yacht specialist Viking and marine electronics specialist Garmin have banded together to develop artificial intelligence to help boats spot and stee around whales.
The Whale and Vessel Safety Taskforce was formed after the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration introduced seasonal 10-knot speed limits along large sections of the mid-Atlantic coast, aimed at protecting endangered North Atlantic right whale populations.
The whales are at high risk of being struck by fast-moving boats because they spend a lot of their time at or close to the water’s surface.
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Under planned changes to the seasonal speed limits, the NOAA has proposed that the speed limit would apply to most boats as small as 10.6 metres in length, as well as expanding the 10.0-knot rule to cover more time and water – a move that would likely cripple recreational boating along much of the coastline.
In an effort to minimise the impact of expanded speed restrictions, the taskforce announced this week that it had teamed up with smart machine software group Viam that will help it capture data from boats that will be used to build whale-avoidance technology.
“This partnership will drive the development of a robust, open-source database that will capture data from participating vessels across multiple sectors and use types,” WAVS Taskforce said in a statement announcing the research initiative.
“The data collected from this effort will serve as a much-needed accelerant and driving force to advance the agility and accuracy of AI in detecting large marine mammals.
“AI capabilities and accuracy require continuous improvement, and WAVS and Viam are committed to building out this dataset to facilitate this.”
The data gained from the research will be used to train an artificial intelligence-based system to detect whales.
Similar to the US, Australia experiences significant whale migration each year. Boats here have been known to strike whales and sink, giving the US research some local relevance.
Whale migration in Australia usually hits its peak as they move north from June to August, and again as they head back to the Southern Ocean, many with calves tagging along, from September to November.
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