FarSounder, a developer of 3D forward looking sonars (FLS), has expanded its integration options with the addition of SEA.AI, a provider of AI-powered vision systems for maritime safety.
This integration is available within FarSounder’s new SonaSoft LT™ web application, providing captains and bridge crews with a more comprehensive operational picture by combining above and below-water awareness.
FarSounder’s Argos series of 3D FLS offer real-time situational awareness up to 1,000 meters ahead of the vessel, with detections traditionally displayed in SonaSoft™, the company’s core software, and now also in the browser-based SonaSoft LT.
SEA.AI specializes in machine vision, developing optical and thermal sensor systems powered by artificial intelligence to detect and classify above-water and floating objects in real time, which improves situational awareness and safety. The SEA.AI product line includes integrated systems for recreational, commercial, and government vessels, as well as solutions for Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs).
Through this new integration, detections from SEA.AI are incorporated directly into the SonaSoft LT user interface, allowing mariners to view both surface and subsurface targets together in a single cohesive display. This data fusion capability presents operators with a clearer understanding of their environment without requiring them to switch between multiple displays, thus improving both efficiency and safety in challenging navigation conditions.
The combined display includes submerged hazards such as reefs, shoals, or floating obstacles detected by the Argos sonar, and surface targets such as boats, sailboats, and buoys identified by SEA.AI. The software already supports the display of AIS and ARPA targets. SEA.AI targets are presented in the SonaSoft LT interface as icons that correspond to the classification provided by SEA.AI (e.g., BOAT, SAILBOAT, BUOY). These icons are placed at the detected location, giving mariners an intuitive view of both sonar and optical detections in one interface.
The integration supports multiple SEA.AI product lines through both standard and legacy interfaces:
- Standard Interface: For products such as SEA.AI Sentry, SEA.AI Watchkeeper, and SEA.AI Brain. Detections are transmitted to the Argos system as NMEA TTM sentences over TCP.
- Legacy Interface: For products such as SEA.AI Offshore. Detections are transmitted to the Argos system via JSON messages over a WebSocket connection.
In both instances, detections are processed and displayed in SonaSoft LT, enabling operators to use SEA.AI’s classification capabilities within the FarSounder ecosystem.
