AI-Driven Shark Detection Enhances Beach Safety in California

California
beaches
are
becoming
safer
with
the
introduction
of
a
new
AI-powered
shark
detection
system.
Known
as
SharkEye,
this
innovative
technology
identifies
sharks
near
shorelines
in
real
time
and
sends
text
alerts
to
public
safety
officials,
lifeguards,
and
the
community,
according
to

NVIDIA.

How
SharkEye
Works

Developed
by
the
Benioff
Ocean
Science
Laboratory
(BOSL)
at
the
University
of
California,
Santa
Barbara,
SharkEye
uses
drones
equipped
with
high-resolution
cameras
to
capture
video
footage
of
the
water.
This
footage
is
then
analyzed
by
machine
learning
algorithms
designed
to
detect
the
presence
of
sharks.

The
system
was
launched
at
Padaro
Beach
near
Santa
Barbara,
a
location
frequented
by
both
juvenile
great
white
sharks
and
surfers.
The
real-time
detection
capability
of
SharkEye
significantly
enhances
the
safety
of
swimmers
and
surfers
along
the
coastline.

Technical
Details

BOSL
Project
Scientist
Neil
Nathan
explained
that
the
team
trained
the
computer
vision
model
using
NVIDIA
T4
GPUs
with
over
15,000
images
from
drone
surveys
conducted
at
Padaro
Beach
over
five
years.
The
model
was
trained
for
20
hours
and
achieved
a
mean
average
precision
of
92%.

SharkEye’s
algorithm
can
detect
sharks
a
few
feet
below
the
surface,
outperforming
human
capabilities
especially
in
challenging
conditions
like
rough
waters
and
sun
glare.
Survey
results
are
posted
on
the

SharkEye
dashboard
in
partnership
with
California
State
University,
Long
Beach,
which
also
includes
ongoing
detection
results
from
acoustic
surveys.

Broader
Implications

The
SharkEye
project
not
only
aims
to
improve
public
safety
but
also
provides
valuable
data
for
marine
biologists
studying
shark
behavior
and
migration
patterns.
This
information
can
inform
both
conservation
and
public
safety
efforts.

According
to
Nathan,
the
team
plans
to
make
SharkEye
publicly
available
for
broader
use,
potentially
enhancing
beach
safety
on
a
larger
scale.

For
more
details,
visit

NVIDIA.

Image
source:
Shutterstock