Multimedia Ocean Perception for Real-Time Marine Mammal Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for protecting marine mammals during offshore wind farm construction are limited by human visual constraints and noise pollution, leading to restricted pile driving activities and increased environmental impact, especially in poor visibility conditions.
Innovation Solution
A multimedia ocean perception system utilizing a suite of sensors, data processors, and machine intelligence modules to identify and track marine mammals in real-time, providing actionable insights and alerts to operators, ensuring compliance with regulations and reducing human reliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pile driving activity is restricted to hours when human eyes can identify marine mammalian species, then marine mammals are protected from noise pollution, but pile driving productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces human visual inspection with an automated optical detection system using cameras and image processing algorithms. This substitution enables continuous monitoring of marine mammals during pile driving operations, eliminating the need to restrict operations to daytime hours when human visibility is adequate, thereby maintaining both protection compliance and operational productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-monitoring and automatic detection of marine mammals by the pile driving operation itself through integrated cameras and processing units. The operation can independently determine when to pause or continue based on automated detection, eliminating reliance on external observers and enabling continuous compliance monitoring throughout operating hours
2Reliability
If pile driving activity is stopped when mammals are within the exclusion zone, then marine mammals are protected from harmful noise, but operational time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection and tracking of marine mammals using automated cameras and image processing before they enter the exclusion zone. By identifying mammals at a distance and predicting their trajectories, the system allows operators to plan operations in advance, minimizing unexpected stoppages and optimizing the timing of necessary pauses to reduce overall operational time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback on marine mammal positions relative to the exclusion zone through automated detection and alerting. This continuous feedback enables operators to make informed decisions about when to pause or resume operations, optimizing the balance between protection compliance and minimizing operational interruptions through precise, data-driven timing
3Reliability
If restricted visibility operations (nighttime and fog) prohibit pile driving activity, then marine mammals are protected from undetected noise exposure, but cumulative environmental impact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces human visual capabilities with automated optical detection systems using cameras and image processing algorithms that can operate effectively in low-light and foggy conditions. This substitution enables marine mammal detection during nighttime and adverse weather conditions when human visibility is insufficient, allowing pile driving operations to continue without compromising detection accuracy or mammal protection
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of detection by using automated imaging technology with enhanced sensitivity to light and contrast, enabling reliable marine mammal detection under varying environmental conditions including nighttime and fog. This parameter change in detection capability decouples operation continuity from weather and time-of-day constraints
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprising data input ports and sensors operatively in communication with the data input ports; a data processor operatively in communication with the sensors; and software aggregates data in the data processor obtained from the plurality of sensors into a set of incoming data streams; time stamps, organizes, and records the organized time stamped set of incoming data streams in the data recorder; and performs a predetermined set of algorithmic manipulations on the organized time stamped set of incoming data streams to allow display of the organized time stamped set of incoming data streams in an actionable format in real time on the display to make a human aware of events occurring in a monitored area and provide an actionable insight.