Synthetik Awarded Contract from NOAA for Satellite-Based Environmental Monitoring Platform
Synthetik has been awarded a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop a web-based software platform capable of automated monitoring of marine environmental phenomena using satellite image data and machine learning models. This tool will allow users to set regions of interest to automate the import of both freely available satellite image data (such as those from the Landsat and Sentinel satellites) in addition to commercial sources and provide alerts related to a range of user-specified detection events. The platform will also serve as a tool for annotation of satellite datasets, enabling expansion of machine learning detection and classification tasks. Through this capability suite, we will seek to leverage the massive potential at the nexus of large satellite image datasets paired with computer vision and artificial intelligence tools to shape marine environmental management.
As part of a feasibility demonstration, Synthetik will seek to train computer vision models on two classification tasks representing different spatial scales. First, a classifier for harmful algal blooms will be applied to medium-resolution satellite data (on the order of 15-30m per pixel) such as those available from the Landsat and Sentinel programs. Second, a whale classifier will provide a test case for high-resolution (0.5-1m per pixel) images from paid sources. This technology compliments Synthetik’s DeepSeaVision-AI platform, which comprises water surface cameras and subaquatic hydrophones to detect marine mammals directly at the edge, to provide a multi-modal and multi-scale monitoring suite.
Synthetik Applied Technologies is a Microsoft AI for Earth grantee – the $50 million, 5-year program brings the full advantage of Microsoft technology to those working to solve global environmental challenges in the key focus areas of climate, agriculture, water and biodiversity. Through grants that provide access to cloud and AI tools, opportunities for education and training on AI and investments in innovative, scalable solutions, AI for Earth works to advance sustainability across the globe.
Learn more:
Microsoft AI for Earth: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/aiforearth