FarSounder has expanded its integration options for its Argos series of 3D Forward Looking Sonars (FLS) with the addition of SEA.AI, a specialist in AI-powered maritime vision systems.
This integration is available within FarSounder’s new browser-based application, SonaSoft LT™, and is designed to offer captains and bridge crews a more complete operational picture.
FarSounder’s Argos sonar provides real-time situational awareness of submerged hazards up to 1,000 meters ahead of a vessel, including reefs, shoals, or floating obstacles. SEA.AI utilizes optical and thermal sensor systems powered by artificial intelligence to detect and classify above-water and floating objects in real time. The SEA.AI technology is used in integrated systems for recreational, commercial, and government vessels, as well as Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs).
Through the new integration, detections from SEA.AI are incorporated directly into the SonaSoft LT™ user interface. Mariners can view both surface and subsurface targets together in a single cohesive display, eliminating the need to switch between multiple monitors. This data fusion aims to improve both efficiency and safety in challenging navigation conditions.
Surface targets detected by SEA.AI, such as boats, sailboats, and buoys, are presented in the SonaSoft LT™ interface as icons corresponding to the classification provided by SEA.AI. These icons are placed at the detected location, giving operators an intuitive view of both sonar and optical detections alongside existing support for AIS and ARPA targets.
The integration supports multiple SEA.AI product lines. 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 via a standard interface. For products like SEA.AI Offshore, a legacy interface is supported, transmitting detections via JSON messages over a WebSocket connection. In both instances, the detections are processed and displayed in SonaSoft LT™, enabling operators to use SEA.AI’s classification capabilities within the FarSounder environment.
