Smart whale detection trial under way aboard Arctic expedition ship

A smart visual detection system (SVDS) is being trialled aboard an Arctic expedition ship in a bid to improve how whales are detected in icy polar waters.

Researchers from Heriot-Watt University’s Whales and Arctic VEssels (WAVE) project are working with UK marine monitoring specialist Seiche and HX Expeditions on the project.

The system began operating on HX Expeditions’ MS Fram’s voyage from Dover to Svalbard and will collect data around the Svalbard archipelago throughout the Arctic summer.

Monitoring marine mammals

The SVDS has been supplied by Seiche, a company that specialises in underwater noise and marine mammal monitoring.

It is designed to detect whales in real time, facilitating advance warnings for bridge crews and supplementing data collection for long-term ecological monitoring.

The trial will evaluate the potential for continuous data collection onboard vessels and assess how imagery and detection data could contribute towards future AI-assisted marine mammal identification and real-time alerting capabilities.

Dr Lauren McWhinnie and postgraduate researcher Alanna Frayne from Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society are on board MS Fram overseeing the camera’s operation and data collection.

Dr McWhinnie said: “While thermal cameras and artificial intelligence are now being used to help mitigate shipping impacts in some of the world’s busiest maritime areas, we want to explore how they can be used in polar environments.

“We’re particularly concerned about the impacts increasing vessel traffic could have on species including narwhal, beluga and bowhead whales.

“Collecting data during WAVE surveys will allow us to train the software to detect these species and ultimately support an automated alert system.

“Because these animals are polar specialists, their bodies are well insulated with thick blubber.

“We’re hoping the smart visual detection system will identify their blows, the warm plumes of air emitted when whales surface to breathe.

“Narwhals, beluga and bowhead whales are unique to the Arctic Ocean and, as these waters are rapidly changing and becoming busier, we have a small window to be proactive in protecting them.

“Advance warning systems could help mitigate some of the threats posed by vessels in these sensitive marine environments.

“I’m thrilled to have Seiche and HX Expeditions partner with us on the WAVE project. Having their support has given us invaluable access to the Arctic Ocean and its underwater inhabitants.”

Round-the-clock coverage of Arctic waters

Nicola Harris, business development director at Seiche, said: "The smart visual detection system is a compact, marinised unit mounted on the deck above the bridge, giving it a clear view of the water ahead.

“It pairs thermal imaging with high-definition video as the camera scans the sea in front of the ship, providing continuous, round-the-clock coverage throughout the Arctic summer.

"The automated detection module runs on the thermal imagery, picking out temperature gradients such as a whale's blow against the cold Arctic background.

“Each detection, with the time and position it was made, is captured for the research team to analyse later.

"We are proud to support this important collaboration and contribute to the ongoing development of practical technologies for marine mammal observation, mitigation and conservation, particularly in key areas such as the Arctic."

Guests on board fascinated by science

Dr Verena Meraldi, chief scientist for HX Expeditions said, “This is the third consecutive Arctic season we have welcomed Heriot-Watt researchers onboard our vessels as guest scientists, and it continues to be a fantastic collaboration for HX. “Our guests are always genuinely fascinated to hear directly from researchers like Dr McWhinnie and to better understand both the science and the technology helping us study these incredible animals in such remote environments. “This trial also has very tangible operational and educational value for us, from increasing situational awareness for our bridge teams to creating new opportunities for guest engagement through recorded wildlife encounters and hands-on science activities.

“Integrating real science into the guest experience is a core part of HX’s industry-leading science and education programme and very much part of who we are.”

Over the coming years Dr McWhinnie and researchers from the WAVE project will work with HX Expeditions and Seiche to advance research that helps protect vulnerable whale species from increasing vessel activities in the Arctic.

Find out more about WAVE: https://www.wave-arcticwhales.com/about