An oyster raft out at sea, with hills behind

OceanMap

OceanMap: oyster raft positions on a boat’s screen, from satellites and beacons

A system that shows the oyster rafts found by satellite on a boat’s screen. We are developing it as an aid to navigation when rafts are hard to see at night or in fog.

For people who run boats (pleasure boats, fishing charters, fishing boats and others)

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The problem

Hiroshima Bay is dotted with oyster rafts. At night or in fog, they are hard to see from a boat.

A raft at sea, with a bridge behind it

What we do

We analyse satellite data (radar images and other imagery) to find the oyster rafts floating in the sea. We are developing a system that shows their positions on a device aboard the boat, so you can check where they are even when they are hard to see. We are also developing an alert that uses the signal from beacons (IKAK) on the rafts to tell your smartphone when you are getting close.

Where things stand, and what to know

  • OceanMap is being developed as an aid to navigation, to be used alongside charts, radar, AIS and a lookout, not in place of them.
  • The satellite analysis does not find every raft, so it is designed to be used with a lookout.
  • Stage: Being tested, The current system is a research and development prototype built in joint research.

Stage and evidence

Each claim carries its own stage, and who confirmed it where that is on record.

Finding oyster rafts in satellite imagery

We analyse satellite data to find the oyster rafts floating in the sea. Not every raft is found, so it is meant to be used alongside a lookout.

  • Stage: Proven, Joint research

    Together with a laboratory at Hiroshima University, we analysed satellite data, combining radar images and other imagery. When checked against the rafts actually floating in the sea, our latest analysis found about 90% of the oyster rafts in Hiroshima Bay.

Related uses

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Two people on a boat looking out over the oyster rafts

A phone alert when you near an oyster raft

A system that warns you on a smartphone running the app as your boat nears a raft fitted with IKAK.

  • Stage: Being tested, Our own work

    We are developing a system in which a smartphone running the app picks up the IKAK signal, uses its strength to estimate the relative distance to the raft, and sounds an alert when it judges the boat is getting close.

Related uses

Talk to us about “A phone alert when you near an oyster raft”
Checking an oyster rope from the boat

Ground-truth data for the satellite analysis (checking against measurements, correcting offsets)

An idea for checking the satellite analysis against where the rafts actually are.

  • Stage: Concept,

    We are considering confirming where rafts are from the tracks of passing boats and from measured positions, and using this as ground-truth data for the satellite analysis. We are also considering putting a number on how far the satellite results are off and correcting for it, and building on-board equipment to check this in the sea at Kure.

Related uses

Talk to us about “Ground-truth data for the satellite analysis (checking against measurements, correcting offsets)”
An oyster raft seen from above, with floats under the bamboo

Obstacle data for autonomous ships

An idea for putting the data we gather on rafts and other obstacles to use for autonomous ships.

  • Stage: Concept,

    We are considering providing the data we gather on rafts and other obstacles to operators of autonomous ships and to makers of ship equipment. This is a concept for 2028 onward.

Related uses

Talk to us about “Obstacle data for autonomous ships”
A crane barge on the water at dusk

Helping small boats avoid each other (the phone as a beacon)

An idea for letting small boats without AIS notice each other through their smartphones.

  • Stage: Concept,

    For small boats without AIS, we are considering a system in which smartphones running the app notice each other over Bluetooth and warn both boats as they get close.

Related uses

Talk to us about “Helping small boats avoid each other (the phone as a beacon)”
The sea and islands from a small boat, its white wake behind it

Ways to work with us

How to read the stages

Stage: Proven,
Results checked at sea or in the field, and on record
Stage: Being tested,
Trials, prototypes or development under way
Stage: Concept,
At the planning stage, including ideas shown as exhibits or prototypes

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