Art Hill at the SEA AI stand during IBEX 2024

At IBEX 2024, Nick Tangredi, US sales manager at Sea AI, unveiled the company’s ‘Brain’ AI sentry system. This advanced AI-based technology integrates with third-party cameras, providing captains with real-time monitoring and alert systems for improved safety and efficiency at sea.

Tangredi explains that the ‘Brain’ system is designed to enhance maritime security by detecting and classifying objects. It works through a network of two thermal and two colour sensors, along with an AI library that has been trained on over 10 million images. The system can alert captains to potential hazards like boats, buoys, or even people in the water. “It can detect, classify, and estimate distances to objects,” says Tangredi, adding that these alerts are crucial for preventing collisions and enhancing situational awareness.

The system offers three distinct modes: manual, collision avoidance and surveillance. The manual mode allows users to control and track objects manually, while the collision avoidance mode scans forward and alerts the crew if it detects obstacles. The surveillance mode offers a 360-degree continuous scan, providing peace of mind during overnight anchorage. Tangredi notes that this mode is particularly useful in situations where the crew may be asleep or in high-traffic areas, as it ensures the vessel’s surroundings are constantly monitored.

What sets the Sea AI system apart from other night vision technologies, according to Tangredi, is its artificial intelligence capabilities. The AI library’s extensive training allows the system to accurately classify objects, including detecting channel markers, buoys, sailboats and even whales. “We’re now adding whales to our library,” he reveals, highlighting the system’s growing versatility in maritime environments.

The AI system also integrates seamlessly with other devices on the vessel. It can send alerts to multiple systems, including the captain’s mobile device, the vessel’s audio system or marine electronics displays (MFD). Tangredi emphasises how this feature enhances safety by keeping the crew informed, even if they are not at the helm. “It can alert you right to your phone,” he says, making it possible for captains to step away momentarily without losing awareness of their surroundings.

The system’s integration with third-party cameras, such as those from FLIR and AXIS, also marks a significant step forward in flexibility. By offering AI detection and classification capabilities to these cameras, Sea AI’s ‘Brain’ system provides a solution that can be adapted to a range of existing maritime hardware.

Sea AI continues to position itself at the forefront of maritime safety and innovation, with Tangredi describing the ‘Brain’ as “the captain’s new first mate”. With its potential to enhance situational awareness and reduce human error, this system has the capacity to improve safety for vessels of all sizes.

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