Johannesburg, 31 Aug 2021
Turning big ships like large enterprises and public sector organisations can seem daunting, but IBM believes that AI-powered automation can take on the burden of steering them towards new goals in an uncertain environment.
IBM cites the Mayflower autonomous ship, launched in June by ProMare and IBM, as a shining example of what is possible when AI is entrusted with making the right decisions. The Mayflower, the first autonomous, crewless ship, is single-handedly taking on the task of exploring and collecting data about the ocean, using AI, edge computing and related technologies to make this huge undertaking viable.
On its inaugural journey, the ship will commemorate the original Mayflower by following its transatlantic route, gathering data on the impact of climate change and pollution so that marine researchers can better understand the oceans.
The Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) is a 5-ton, 15-meter-long trimaran vessel that incorporates many advanced marine architecture features, all designed to withstand the stresses of extended trips at sea. Because it does not need to provide facilities for crew members, it could be equipped with more state-of-the-art research technologies.
Using inference algorithms and models generated from IBM Visual Insights computer vision technology, the AI Captain was trained on over one million nautical images so it can recognise ships, debris, bridges, pieces of land and other hazards. IBM Power Systems servers were used to meet the significant machine learning processing demands required for the training, with additional math modelling for decision support provided by IBM CPLEX Optimizer. When the AI Captain receives actionable data from on-board cameras, radar, sonar, AIS and other equipment, it draws on IBM’s automated rule management system, IBM Operational Decision Manager (ODM), to follow International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) and other seagoing conventions.
To sense its environment and make smart decisions independently without having to be connected to an onshore computer, MAS has 15 edge computing devices to process data onboard. All edge devices are orchestrated securely by IBM Edge Application Manager, which deploys software out to the sensors positioned at the edge of the ship. The IBM Maximo Application Suite provides intelligent asset management and maintenance.
The MAS’s AI Captain relies on ODM recommendations and current and forecasted updates from The Weather Company, an IBM Business, to continuously assess options, steer clear of hazards, make navigation decisions and perform the research mission at hand. Keeping all data and applications seamlessly integrated, secure and connected from every edge of the MAS network are IBM Cloud and IBM Cloud Object Storage, and a Safety Manager function, running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux backstops AI Captain decisions to help ensure the safety of MAS and nearby vessels.
Says IBM’s Andrew Hewitt-Coleman, Automation Sales Leader – FSS: “The solar-run Mayflower ship demonstrates how using AI-powered automation and edge technologies are making the world’s first crewless transatlantic voyage possible. As in many regulated industries like banking and telecommunications, this ‘AI Captain’ technology can steer clear of obstacles and comply with navigation rules to make innovation possible – even in uncertain and ever-changing environments.”
IBM, in collaboration with ITWeb, will showcase the technology behind the Mayflower and outline how AI-powered automation will improve business performance at an upcoming webinar on AI-powered automation for business transformation and AIOps on 14 September. For more information and to register for this event, go to https://www.itweb.co.za/event/ibm-automation/.
Share