SEA.AI how-it-works
Now you see.
SEA.AI alerts crews early and reliably about objects on the surface of the water. Using latest camera technology in combination with artificial intelligence, SEA.AI detects and classifies objects, including those that escape conventional systems such as Radar or AIS: unsignalled craft, floating obstacles, buoys, inflatables, kayaks and persons over board.
BOOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
Intelligent, untiring 24-hour multi-purpose lookout with intelligent alarm functions, displaying safety-relevant information in an easy to understand way.
SEE BETTER THAN THE HUMAN EYE
Detection, identification, monitoring of floating obstacles of any size and kind, by day and night, and even in the most adverse conditions.
MAKE BETTER INFORMED DECISIONS
On-board cameras with integrated image processing and an intuitive interface provide a novel digital understanding of the vessel’s surroundings on water.
SEA.AI computes input from lowlight and thermal on-board cameras to provide a digital understanding of the vessel’s surroundings on the water. The system’s artificial intelligence uses latest Machine Vision technology, best-in-class deep learning capabilities and an ever-growing proprietary database of millions of annotated marine objects.
FAQ
If you cannot find the information you are looking for in the questions below, please get in touch with us
Questions on SEA.AI functionality
SEA.AI will generally detect all objects on and above the water surface, no matter what the object is made of (e.g., wood, steel, plastic, organic,…).
SEA.AI can see up to the horizon. The actual detection range is dependent, on the size of the object, the SEA.AI model and the environmental conditions.
SEA.AI not only detects but also classifies objects. This means that SEA.AI knows what an object actually is: a buoy, a container, a sailing boat, a motorboat, or a large ship. If SEA.AI is not sure, it will classify an “unknown object”.
Yes, SEA.AI consists of thermal and color cameras and can therefore see during the night. Even in bad weather situations the thermal cameras will be able to perform much better than the human eye. Taking into account that a crew is usually helming, navigating or just busy with other things – SEA.AI will continue to keep an eye and act as the “barrelman” on top of the mast, alarming when a potential hazard appears.
SEA.AI has an in-built IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). The IMU helps SEA.AI to know in which direction and with which acceleration the cameras and the boat are moving. As a second point of reference for image stabilisation and movement compensation, SEA.AI uses AI-based horizon detection. This is the reason why SEA.AI also works in bad sea states.
Since SEA.AI is usually mounted at the highest point of the boat (on sailing vessels SEA.AI is mounted on the mast top), it can see over the wave crests. Waves will generally influence the boat’s pitching and rolling, and the crew will have a hard time to identify even close objects. As soon as the boat drops into a wave trough, it is typically impossible to see behind the next wave. The mounting height will already make SEA.AI a lot more reliable than what a crewmember can see.
In short: a colour camera.
In detail: The RGB color model is an additive color model in which red, green, and blue light are added together in various ways to reproduce a broad array of colors. The name of the model comes from the initials of the three additive primary colors: red, green, and blue.
Radar detects bigger objects like ships and land over high distances in all weather conditions.
Radar detection rate drops with the height of waves since salt water reflects radar waves, or if the shape or material of the detected object does not reflect radar waves properly (e.g. wood, GFRP, flat surfaces,..).
SEA.AI sees small objects drifting in the water as well as small leisure crafts such as SUPs, kayaks, dinghies, small wooden fishing boats, etc…
SEA.AI will detect objects with position, speed and course information up 1500m and more (depending on the models) and will detect objects and display bearing information and distance estimation up to the horizon.
Being an optical system, SEA.AI´s performance degrades in fog and rain. SEA.AI and Radar are therefore complementary systems with different benefits and limitations.
AIS displays information from vessels equipped with an AIS transceiver. AIS is mandatory for ships with more than 300 gross registered tons. Many smaller ships are not equipped with AIS transceivers.
Similar to AIS, SEA.AI displays information on detected objects, such as speed, direction, CPA, TCPA, object type.
In light rain, SEA.AI will be able to detect objects but its detection range will be reduced. In very heavy rain, objects cannot be detected anymore. In the fog, a thermal camera can see 3x further than the human eye. SEA.AI has the same physical limits as all optical sensors.
Make sure you have downloaded the latest version of the “SEA.AI Navigation App” for iOS or Android on your smartphone or tablet.
Connect to your boat or MFD WIFI network to access the SEA.AI System (ex OSCAR). Start the SEA.AI Navigation App on your mobile device.
The “Update available” popup will automatically appear on your screen if a new update is available. Click “Yes” to update the system to the latest software version.
Attention: The Update process can involve multiple system restarts – connection to the mobile device will be lost – Updating and restarting will take several minutes – do not shut off the system.
Video: How to update your system from PC
Video: How to update your SEA.AI system from iOS
SEA.AI can see up to the horizon, depending on the mounting height.
Depending on the product and size of objects OSCAR is able to detect up to:
|
Buoy, POB |
RIB |
Sailing Boat, Motorboat |
Cargo, Large Vessel |
|
|
Sentry* |
700 m |
3,000 m |
7,500 m |
horizon |
|
Offshore / Competition 640* |
150 m |
750 m |
2,000 m |
horizon |
|
Offshore / Competition 320* |
100 m |
450 m |
1,300 m |
horizon |
|
Offshore One* |
100 m |
250 m |
1,000 m |
horizon |
*Actual object detection range performance may vary depending on environmental and weather conditions
Technical questions
Competition Series: Vision unit: 750g (Processing unit: 1,7 kg)
Offshore 320 & 640: Vision unit: 990g (Processing unit: 1,7 kg)
Offshore One 320 (All in one unit): 990g
SEA.AI Sentry (All in one unit): 4,8 kg
Competition Series :
- Vision unit: 144 x 114 x 96 mm
- Processing unit: 190 x 155 x 60mm
Offshore 320 & 640:
- Vision unit: 190 x 143 x 106 mm
- Processing unit: 190 x 155 x 60mm
Offshore One 320 (All in one unit): 190 x 142 x 106 mm
SEA.AI Sentry (All in one unit): 355 x 202 x 250 mm
Competition Series: 25W
Offshore 320 & 640: 25W
Offshore One 320 (All in one unit): 16W
SEA.AI Sentry: 50 – 70W
Offshore One: 38 g/m + 96 g/m
Offshore 320 / 640: 36 g/m + 73 g/m
Competition: 31 g/m + 73 g/m
The vision unit should be attached to the highest point of the boat. In sailing boats this will be the mast top with no obstructions in front (e.g. windvane, nav lights or halyards in the way). On motor yachts, it should be as high as possible as well and the minimum mounting height should be 7m above the waterline.
SEA.AI needs to see the horizon as a reference point. Once you set up SEA.AI and start the app on your smartphone, tablet, onboard computer or MFD it will ask you to calibrate. There is an assistant that will tell you step by step how to calibrate and find the optimum angle for the vision unit. 3 parameters need to be entered during setup:
- Horizontal distance from mast to bow
- Height of the mounted Vision Unit to water surface
- Mast rake
It is important to mount the processing unit in a dry environment and in a vertical position with at least 100 mm clearance on top and 150 mm below bottom to other devices (heat convection). Make sure to keep it clear of any Wi-Fi or GPS antennas as they might interfere.
The SEA.AI Competition series has an inbuilt panning function which can automatically compensate the mast rotation as long as the information is available on the NMEA2000 network.
No, the data cable is shielded and the electromagnetic compatibility complies with EU norms.
The SEA.AI app does not need permanent internet access.
We provide regular updates via the android or iOS app. To update the SEA.AI system, download the latest version of the SEA.AI application when internet connection is available. Back on the boat connect your smartphone with the SEA.AI system and start the SEA.AI application. You will get asked to update the system.
Yes, the SEA.AI vision unit is waterproof (IP67) and has been tested in extreme conditions to ensure watertightness, temperature, shock, vibration, and salt water resistance. The lenses of the cameras carry a special coating for protection against the most extreme weather conditions and dirt.
Yes, all SEA.AI products can withstand at least forces of 10g. This is validated during durability tests with more than a 1 million cycles.
During longer periods or summers without rain, it might be necessary to clean lenses from time to time.
Yes. It needs to be integrated into the Boat LAN /WiFi for communication with the User Interface (PC, Laptop, Tablet or MFD) and to update the system with a smartphone via the app store (IOs or Android).
The SEA.AI System is compatible with the most common MFDs. Please get in touch with us to check compatibility.
4 users can connect simultaneously without speed loss of the application. Above this number application load and refresh time could be slightly impacted.
Yes. SEA.AI can be connected to the boat bus to receive (e.g., speed, heading, GPS position) and send (e.g., objects found, alarms) information.
SEA.AI will also work without being connected to the boat bus. In this case, only relative (and not absolute) values (speed, course) will be displayed.
Yes, the SEA.AI applications provides a feature to download screenshots.
For support please get in contact with us