Computer vision-based detection of marine vessels in the Canadian Arctic using visual and acoustic data

我们的目标是开发一个强大的和准确的系统，在加拿大西部的北极地区使用视觉和被动声学数据的海洋船舶的自主检测。潜在的成果包括创建集成计算机视觉和声学信号处理的新技术，例如可以在各种环境条件下识别常规尺寸以及小型（921 x1080像素图像中的50像素或更小）血管的计算系统。 从生态学的角度来看，该项目的成果将提供见解，使我们的合作伙伴能够评估船只交通量增加对白鲸等当地海洋哺乳动物的影响。该项目将产生重大影响，因为它将提供一种成本效益高和更准确的替代办法，取代通常由环境科学家手工进行的传统的声学和视觉数据分析。 这是一个对加拿大和我们的伙伴组织-加拿大野生动物保护协会和加拿大环境与气候变化协会-都非常重要的议题。由于海冰的减少，有关地理区域最近遭受了人类活动的增加。因此，为了让我们的合作伙伴履行其核心使命，即向公众提供信息，倡导野生动物保护政策和规划，必须更好地量化、监测和研究海上交通的生态影响。我们的建议作出了直接的贡献，对海上交通的定量分析。

We aim to develop a robust and accurate system for the autonomous detection of marine vessels in the western Canadian Arctic using visual and passive acoustics data. Among the potential outcomes are the creation of novel technologies integrating computer vision and acoustic signal processing, such as computational systems that can recognize both regular-sized as well as small (50 pixels or less within images of 921x1080 pixels) vessels under a variety of environmental conditions. From an ecological standpoint, the outcome of this project will provide insights that will enable our partners to assess the influence of increased vessel traffic on local marine mammals such as beluga whales. This project will have a significant impact, since it will provide a cost-efficient and more accurate alternative to the traditional data analysis of acoustic and visual data, which is typically performed manually by environmental scientists. This is a topic of high importance to both Canada and our partner organizations, the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada (WCS) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The geographic region of interest has recently suffered an increase in anthropogenic activities, due to the sea ice reduction. Therefore, in order for our partners to carry out their core missions of informing the public and advocating for wildlife conservation policies and planning, the ecological impacts of marine traffic have to be better quantified, monitored and studied. Our proposal makes a direct contribution towards the quantitative analysis of marine traffic.