Sensors and AI Techniques for Situational Awa...

Sensors and AI Techniques for Situational Awareness in Autonomous Ships: A Review

Author Name : Manikandan B, Mukilan R, Dhina S, Kumar M

DOI: https://doi.org/11.56025/IJARESM.2023.113231301

ABSTRACT

Autonomous ships are a promising technological advancement in maritime navigation that can significantly improve safety and efficiency. To achieve this, autonomous ships require reliable and accurate situational awareness systems. These systems must be capable of fusing data from traditional and novel sensors using AI techniques. In this paper, we provide an overview of the operational requirements imposed on autonomous ships and discuss the appropriate sensors and AI techniques needed for an operational situational awareness system. We consider four sensor families: sensors for accurate absolute positioning (Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers and Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs)), visual sensors (monocular and stereo cameras), audio sensors (microphones), and remote sensing sensors (RADAR and LiDAR). In addition, we discuss the use of auxiliary information sources such as the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and external data records.