Aquaculture Robot Control to Minimize Fish Startling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In aquaculture and agriculture environments, the sudden introduction or operation of illumination and imaging devices can startle organisms, leading to potential harm from collisions with structures or other animals, and existing methods either fail to minimize startling or compromise data collection efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A framework utilizing an anti-fish-startling model evaluation engine that constrains device actions, such as reducing illumination speed, motion, and noise, to minimize startling effects by determining optimal device operations based on environmental conditions and objectives, including the use of machine learning models to evaluate actions and reduce startling impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If illumination devices are activated quickly or devices are introduced rapidly into the environment, then productivity and data collection efficiency are improved, but fish are startled causing them to collide with structures and suffer health harm
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by gradually acclimating fish to devices before full operation. Illumination devices are activated slowly over time rather than instantly, and robots are introduced gradually into the environment. This preliminary gradual exposure allows fish to adapt without being startled, eliminating the need to compromise data collection efficiency later.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts device operation parameters based on real-time conditions. Illumination intensity, robot motion speed, and device introduction timing are continuously adapted according to fish behavior observations and environmental conditions. This dynamic control enables the system to maintain high productivity when fish are calm while preventing startling when fish show signs of stress.
2Productivity
If devices operate at full speed and intensity, then productivity is improved, but the startling effect on fish increases causing collisions and health issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic action by implementing duty-cycled illumination and intermittent robot operations rather than continuous full-speed operation. Illumination devices alternate between active and inactive periods, allowing fish to adapt during inactive phases while maintaining data collection capability during active phases. This periodic operation pattern sustains productivity over time without causing cumulative startling effects.
3Measurement precision
If illumination intensity is increased to improve imaging quality, then measurement precision is improved, but fish are more likely to be startled causing harm
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by using targeted, localized illumination only where and when needed for imaging, rather than illuminating the entire environment at high intensity. Imaging devices activate illumination in specific localized zones around the robot, maintaining measurement precision for the area of interest while leaving other areas dark to avoid startling fish. This selective illumination approach preserves imaging quality while minimizing overall startling effect.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, that control devices in an aquaculture environment. One of the methods includes determining a particular objective for a robot that is operating in an aquaculture environment and determining one or more sensed conditions that are associated with the aquaculture environment. The particular objective is provided to an anti-fish-startling model evaluation engine that is configured to output actions, for a given objective, that accomplish the given objective while reducing a startling effect on nearby fish. Based on providing the particular objective to the anti-fish-startling model evaluation engine, one or more particular actions for accomplishing the particular objective are determined. The one or more particular actions are transmitted to another device.