Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AI-ARC (Artificial Intelligence based Virtual Control Room for the Arctic (AI-ARC))
Reporting period: 2021-09-01 to 2022-08-31
The main objective of the AI-ARC project is to create an innovative, robust, efficient, and user-friendly artificial intelligence (AI) based platform that meets and exceeds the above-mentioned needs and provides powerful levels of situational awareness for decision-making and safety for all maritime actors without increasing workload. To achieve this objective the AI-ARC Consortium will use AIS, Copernicus, VDES, and other data sources to inform and build a Virtual Control Room (VCR). The VCR will incorporate machine learning technology, plus real and virtual reality (VR) components that combined will create a mixed-reality (MR) visualization layer and high-performance user interface, usable from different perspectives such as Coast Guards’ or civilian users’ and will be tested in both the Arctic and High North.
The cooperation between authorities in different countries is challenging not only because authorities have different mandates and tasks in each Artic country, but also because the incompatibility of maritime surveillance data formats between different countries complicates the exchange of information. Data exchange might be difficult even between authorities in the same country. Difficulties in exchanging information might often be due to different legislation and not all the necessary information can be passed to other countries even if the need for information would be clearly understood. This is not such a big challenge only between EU countries, but especially between the EU and the third countries. AI-ARC solution will bring VCR to all Coast Guard authorities with open and useful information. This in turn will increase cooperation due to the possibility to share smoothly not only information but also capabilities in case of emergency situations. It supports improved cooperation and communication among Arctic member states’ border and/or coast guard authorities in the wake of increased Arctic maritime traffic and the increased potential for maritime border incidents and response, including satellite-assisted dark vessel detection (AIS disabled vessels), illegal fishing, and environmental surveillance.
The value of the proposed project applies not just to Coast Guards, Search and Rescue operators, and remote communities, but also to private enterprises such as the fishing and cruise industries, commercial shipping, oil spill response, seabed mining, and offshore oil drilling industries. Additionally, commercial attractiveness and investor interest are piqued by the increased levels of security provided by these services.
The cooperation between authorities in different countries is challenging not only because authorities have different mandates and tasks in each Artic country, but also because the incompatibility of maritime surveillance data formats between different countries complicates the exchange of information. Data exchange might be difficult even between authorities in the same country. Difficulties in exchanging information might often be due to different legislation and not all the necessary information can be passed to other countries even if the need for information would be clearly understood. This is not such a big challenge only between EU countries, but especially between the EU and the third countries. AI-ARC solution will bring VCR to all Coast Guard authorities with open and useful information. This in turn will increase cooperation due to the possibility to share smoothly not only information but also capabilities in case of emergency situations. It supports improved cooperation and communication among Arctic member states’ border and/or coast guard authorities in the wake of increased Arctic maritime traffic and the increased potential for maritime border incidents and response, including satellite-assisted dark vessel detection (AIS disabled vessels), illegal fishing, and environmental surveillance.
The value of the proposed project applies not just to Coast Guards, Search and Rescue operators, and remote communities, but also to private enterprises such as the fishing and cruise industries, commercial shipping, oil spill response, seabed mining, and offshore oil drilling industries. Additionally, commercial attractiveness and investor interest are piqued by the increased levels of security provided by these services.
During the first reporting period of the project (M1-M12) the planned objectives of the period have been fulfilled and the project has progressed as planned.
The coordinating team at Laurea together with the rest of the Project Steering Team (PST) have been managing the project’s progress from the start, having regular meetings to discuss the progress, potential risks and the project results.
The dissemination and Communication activities also started as planned with the launch of the project website and social media channels in November 2021 (M3). The promotional video was decided to be postponed by a year, to be able to include the first project results and workshop findings. During the first year, the buzz around the project has been immense and the project has been presented at several high-level conferences and meetings with both stakeholders and government officials.
Two highly successful workshops were arranged during the period, Arctic SAR Operations in February 2022 (held online due to the pandemic) and Workshop 2 – Increasing Situational Awareness of Coast and Border Guards to prevent illegal activities (April 2022 in Karlskrona, Sweden). As a base for the discussions especially in workshop 2, an End-User Requirements Survey of Coast Guards and other SAR Authorities was carried out during the first months of 2022.
In the technical work package (WP3) the work in the first reporting period has included the development of the architecture for the AI-ARC solution, the creation of an overview on the services and interfaces in place, the Collection of maritime data sources in order to identify the necessary ones for AI-ARC, the first adaptions to the CISE Core Vocabulary, the initial work for risk computation and prediction services and the Coordination and start of development of anomaly detection and intent recognition services.
Unfortunately, due to several reasons, the AI-ARC project could not use the CISE Node in the current development phase. However, to use the advantages and interoperability of CISE, the project decided to use the publicly available CISE data model in combination with Apache Kafka as an alternative for exchanging data and has now taken into use the Apache Kafka server to substitute the Arctic-CISE node as the information-sharing solution. Transitioning to CISE remains possible as soon as a licensing solution is found.
The coordinating team at Laurea together with the rest of the Project Steering Team (PST) have been managing the project’s progress from the start, having regular meetings to discuss the progress, potential risks and the project results.
The dissemination and Communication activities also started as planned with the launch of the project website and social media channels in November 2021 (M3). The promotional video was decided to be postponed by a year, to be able to include the first project results and workshop findings. During the first year, the buzz around the project has been immense and the project has been presented at several high-level conferences and meetings with both stakeholders and government officials.
Two highly successful workshops were arranged during the period, Arctic SAR Operations in February 2022 (held online due to the pandemic) and Workshop 2 – Increasing Situational Awareness of Coast and Border Guards to prevent illegal activities (April 2022 in Karlskrona, Sweden). As a base for the discussions especially in workshop 2, an End-User Requirements Survey of Coast Guards and other SAR Authorities was carried out during the first months of 2022.
In the technical work package (WP3) the work in the first reporting period has included the development of the architecture for the AI-ARC solution, the creation of an overview on the services and interfaces in place, the Collection of maritime data sources in order to identify the necessary ones for AI-ARC, the first adaptions to the CISE Core Vocabulary, the initial work for risk computation and prediction services and the Coordination and start of development of anomaly detection and intent recognition services.
Unfortunately, due to several reasons, the AI-ARC project could not use the CISE Node in the current development phase. However, to use the advantages and interoperability of CISE, the project decided to use the publicly available CISE data model in combination with Apache Kafka as an alternative for exchanging data and has now taken into use the Apache Kafka server to substitute the Arctic-CISE node as the information-sharing solution. Transitioning to CISE remains possible as soon as a licensing solution is found.
The AI-ARC project aims to create a standardized Virtual Control Room (VCR) to enhance the capabilities and cooperation abilities of both maritime authorities/practitioners, and private operators. The platform will improve overall situational awareness, risk management, resource planning, reaction and operational capabilities, and overall effectiveness. The VCR platform will be designed to support interoperability with different data sources and surveillance systems in order to facilitate improved information exchange and collaboration
among different authorities while improving safety and security within the Arctic and broader EU maritime areas. Additionally, predictive capabilities will be added which are a natural addition to any VCR, and provide challenges to AI design.
The progress beyond the state of the art of each significant innovation can be summarised with the following main points:
- Coast Guard and maritime surveillance interoperability (CISE)
- Virtual Control Room
- Data acquisition and fusion (IO-Data and AIS)
- Anomaly detection (Several)
- Navigation event detection (Naval traffic behavior)
- Intent recognition
- Detection of illegal activities
- Risk assessment (probability and consequence)
- Ship route representation and prediction
- In-situ reporting
- Ice pack model
- End-user involvement (operational capability)
Effective management of borders has a variety of societal impacts, primarily in ensuring that borders remain under surveillance and are controlled. This means that the AI-ARC solution enhances security and thus citizens will improve their perception of safety; promoting peace and the well-being of citizens in Europe; building and sustaining an area of freedom, security, and justice; upholding and promoting the Union’s values in its relations with the wider world and supporting empowerment and defense of citizens. Notwithstanding European
seas have not been directly involved in any recent dangerous terrorist incident, the risks of intentional attacks are something that we must prepare for and AI-ARC enforces increasing security considerations and operations that could be beneficial for future adoption and use. Through the anomaly detection functionalities, the AI ARC solution will also provide indicators for these types of incidents which add to the overall security impact.
At the end of the first reporting period, the expected impacts are still relevant and will be achieved by the end of the project.
among different authorities while improving safety and security within the Arctic and broader EU maritime areas. Additionally, predictive capabilities will be added which are a natural addition to any VCR, and provide challenges to AI design.
The progress beyond the state of the art of each significant innovation can be summarised with the following main points:
- Coast Guard and maritime surveillance interoperability (CISE)
- Virtual Control Room
- Data acquisition and fusion (IO-Data and AIS)
- Anomaly detection (Several)
- Navigation event detection (Naval traffic behavior)
- Intent recognition
- Detection of illegal activities
- Risk assessment (probability and consequence)
- Ship route representation and prediction
- In-situ reporting
- Ice pack model
- End-user involvement (operational capability)
Effective management of borders has a variety of societal impacts, primarily in ensuring that borders remain under surveillance and are controlled. This means that the AI-ARC solution enhances security and thus citizens will improve their perception of safety; promoting peace and the well-being of citizens in Europe; building and sustaining an area of freedom, security, and justice; upholding and promoting the Union’s values in its relations with the wider world and supporting empowerment and defense of citizens. Notwithstanding European
seas have not been directly involved in any recent dangerous terrorist incident, the risks of intentional attacks are something that we must prepare for and AI-ARC enforces increasing security considerations and operations that could be beneficial for future adoption and use. Through the anomaly detection functionalities, the AI ARC solution will also provide indicators for these types of incidents which add to the overall security impact.
At the end of the first reporting period, the expected impacts are still relevant and will be achieved by the end of the project.