Thermal Cameras and AI Help Ships Steer Clear of Gray Whales
A collaboration of government agencies and scientists launched an AI-based whale detection system in San Francisco Bay on 19 May to reduce deadly ship strikes on gray whales. Developed by WhaleSpotter, the system uses an AI model to spot whales in thermal camera footage from Angel Island, with a human verifying each detection before nearby ships are warned. The Bay has become a dangerous new stop for gray whales, with ship strikes causing many recent deaths.
Key Takeaways
- Container ships the size of skyscrapers deliver their wares to the Port of Oakland, tankers bear fuel, and ferries carry tourists to their hikes and commuters to their jobs at AI startups.
Looking down at this marine traffic from Angel Island, located near the entrance to the bay, a group of excited scientists point to some sparkles on the surface of the water: Three gray whales are coming up for breath.
- While trained humans can spot the spray that whales produce when they exhale, thermal cameras powered by AI do an even better job-and they can keep an eye out 24/7, even at night and on foggy afternoons.
A study published in April estimates an 18 percent mortality rate for gray whales that enter the bay.
- They make the longest migration of any mammal, traveling between 15,000 and 20,000 kilometers round-trip from Alaska down to Baja California, Mexico, to breed.
Historically, they made no stops along the way, gorging before their departure, then fasting on the journey.
- Standing next to WhaleSpotter's thermal camera, looking down at the bay, he says this is "a front-row view to climate change."
From its mount on a Coast Guard tower on Angel Island's Blunt Point, the camera captures images covering a cone of water extending out about 7 km.
- The data are also available in an online map .
Stats & Key Facts
- #They make the longest migration of any mammal, traveling between 15,000 and 20,000 kilometers round-trip from Alaska down to Baja California, Mexico, to breed.
On a sunny Tuesday afternoon in May, San Francisco Bay is busy. Container ships the size of skyscrapers deliver their wares to the Port of Oakland, tankers bear fuel, and ferries carry tourists to their hikes and commuters to their jobs at AI startups. Looking down at this marine traffic from Angel Island, located near the entrance to the bay, a group of excited scientists point to some sparkles on the surface of the water: Three gray whales are coming up for breath.
A collaboration of government agencies and scientists hopes to keep interspecies traffic running safely, thanks to an AI-based whale detection system that launched on 19 May. Developed by WhaleSpotter , based in Somerville, Mass., the system uses an AI model to detect whales in footage from thermal cameras looking down at the bay from Point Blunt on Angel Island. Detections are verified by a human to prevent false alarms.
Then the system warns nearby ships so they can slow down or reroute. While trained humans can spot the spray that whales produce when they exhale, thermal cameras powered by AI do an even better job-and they can keep an eye out 24/7, even at night and on foggy afternoons. For many whales, a trip to San Francisco is the end of their journey.
For more details please read the original article at IEEE Spectrum AI.
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