Vessel strikes and entanglement are some of the leading causes of injury and death to marine animals such as whales. Increasingly urbanized waterways, warming oceans, changes in prey distribution—and in some cases, increasing species populations—make for a crowded and dynamic ocean environment.

Recognizing the need for additional technology to advance an existing suite of protections, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) researchers have developed a marine mammal detection system for large commercial vehicles. This technology uses thermal imaging to detect a whale’s body or spout and provides real-time information on their distance and bearing from a vessel. The goal is to provide ship captains with enough time for vessels to be able to change course or slow down.

This human-in-the-loop verification ensures that the captains never receive false alerts, thus avoiding alert fatigue and building trust and confidence in the whale detection technology. Unlike human observation from planes and boats, the systems don’t require ambient light, so the cameras can spot whales at all hours, further improving collision avoidance.