About This Project
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are difficult to enforce due to their remoteness and often invisible borders. I have developed software that uses radar, Automatic Identification System (AIS), and cameras to track vessels and document potential violations, but the high cost limits accessibility. This proposal seeks to integrate a lower-cost camera, cutting expenses by $70k, and add a “loitering guard” feature to better target poachers, making the technology more affordable and effective.
Ask the Scientists
Join The DiscussionWhat is the context of this research?
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are difficult to enforce due to their vast size, remote locations, and limited resources for patrolling and monitoring. Illegal activities, such as poaching, overfishing, and habitat destruction, often go undetected, undermining the purpose of MPAs. Enforcement agencies typically rely on costly patrols that are limited in coverage and effectiveness.
An autonomous monitoring solution is essential to address these challenges. By combining radar, AIS, and cameras, such a system can continuously track and document vessel activity in real-time without requiring constant human oversight. This data provides enforcement agencies with the tools to detect violations, target enforcement efforts, and deter illegal activity.
Developing an affordable, autonomous monitoring system will make this technology accessible to more MPAs, enhancing enforcement capabilities and helping to protect critical marine ecosystems worldwide.
What is the significance of this project?
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) face persistent challenges in enforcing regulations due to limited resources and the vastness of the areas they protect. Autonomous monitoring systems have demonstrated their ability to detect and document violations, enabling enforcement agencies to compile evidence packages—including photos, vessel tracks, and AIS data such as MMSI numbers—that have resulted in successful citations and prosecutions. However, the high cost of these systems places them out of reach for many MPAs.
This project addresses this barrier by integrating a lower-cost camera that maintains the capability to capture high-quality photos at distances of up to 5 miles. By significantly reducing the cost of autonomous monitoring systems, this effort will make the technology more accessible, empowering MPAs worldwide to better enforce regulations, protect critical habitats, and combat illegal activities that threaten marine ecosystems.
What are the goals of the project?
My first goal is to ensure the AXIS Q62 camera integrates seamlessly with radar and AIS tracking. When targeting a vessel, the system will send coordinates to pan, tilt, and zoom the camera, capturing high-quality images of moving vessels up to 5 miles away. This requires updating complex trigonometric and mathematical formulas and ensuring precise calibration for consistent performance.
My second goal is to develop a "Loitering Guard" feature that identifies individuals near MPA shorelines. Currently, vessel tracking addresses offshore threats, but MPAs also face violations from onshore activities such as spear fishing or coral harvesting. The Loitering Guard will expand monitoring capabilities to detect and track people engaged in illegal activities near the shoreline, providing MPAs with a more comprehensive enforcement tool to protect their ecosystems from multiple threats.
Budget
My budget items are crucial for completing this project to make vessel monitoring systems more affordable for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The AXIS Q62 camera represents a fixed, one-time cost based on average quoted prices. Current systems use cameras costing up to $70k, so a $5k camera could significantly reduce costs and make this technology accessible to more MPA administrators.
The development budget will fund networking, engineering, and software development to integrate the AXIS Q62 camera into the system. These funds will cover necessary hardware and software modifications to ensure seamless functionality.
Additionally, I plan to experiment with creating a "loitering guard" feature, which can detect and monitor individual poachers, such as spear fishermen and coral harvesters. This feature would enable MPAs to monitor both individuals and vessels, enhancing enforcement capabilities.
Endorsed by
Project Timeline
In early phases, I will integrate and calibrate the AXIS Q62 camera into my existing systems without compromising on current capabilities. Slow latency may force us to decrease photo count and insufficient zoom may force us to decrease distance.
Once stable, I will develop a Loitering Guard and test the feasibility of detecting individuals consistently and accurately. The biggest priority, however, is integrating AXIS Q62 without sacrificing on current capabilities.
Jan 03, 2025
Project Launched
Jan 31, 2025
Identify and purchase AXIS Q62 camera
Feb 03, 2025
Project Launched
Feb 14, 2025
Install AXIS Q62 camera at SF Bay test station with radar and AIS already installed
Mar 14, 2025
Camera testing for compatibility with the system
Meet the Team
Bryant Irawan
I earned my BA in Human Biology from Stanford (2015) and a Doctorate of Dental Surgery from UC San Francisco (2019). Still a licensed California dentist, my love for the ocean has always been a driving force in my life.
My earliest memory is crying myself to the verge of vomiting because I didn’t want to leave the beach after seeing it for the first time.
In college, I was drawn to marine biology, studying at Hopkins Marine Station in Monterey and participating in two ocean conservation study-abroad programs: coral farming at Australia's Heron Island and oceanographic sampling on a 2,500-nautical-mile voyage from Tahiti to Hawaii.
During dental school, my passion for the ocean remained strong. I volunteered at beach cleanups and learned to surf. After graduating, I practiced dentistry in my favorite surf city—Santa Cruz—which has since become my beloved hometown.
After years of lunch breaks spent staring longingly at the ocean, I decided to pursue a career in ocean conservation. I chose software engineering for its versatility and took night classes, eventually quitting my job to study coding full-time in an immersive advanced bootcamp called HackReactor.
After gaining experience at a health-tech startup, I began applying my software skills to ocean conservation, developing mobile apps and deploying autonomous monitoring systems to protect MPAs. With this grant, I hope to make these systems more affordable and effective by integrating a lower-cost camera and developing a Loitering Guard feature to detect and monitor potential shoreline violators.
Outside of work, I express my love for the ocean as an avid scuba diver and sailor. During one sailing expedition across the Atlantic, I recorded the northernmost observation of pygmy killer whales.
Lab Notes
Nothing posted yet.
Additional Information
Screenshot of track line: This is an example of the system precisely recording a complex track line of a vessel. While all vessels' tracks detectable by radar and AIS are recorded, alarm zones, such as the box with the red boundary, can be created to automatically label a vessel as a potential violator. Text and email alerts can also be set up to inform MPA administrators and law enforcement agents of potential violations. While this screenshot is of a live view, meaning the vessel will disappear once it leaves the area, a link to a historical viewer is included in the text and email alert, allowing MPA administrators to refer to potential violators conveniently. Other vessels are also visible in this busy section of San Francisco Bay. If the vessel has AIS turned on, its MMSI or vessel name will be displayed. If AIS is turned off, which is often the case with MPA violators, the system's radar can still detect the vessel, and photos can still be taken, as seen with the two-digit radar targets (e.g., #51).
Screenshot of photo and vessel information:
This example shows vessel information, including course, location, and speed, obtainable via radar or AIS, and a photo of a fast-moving vessel approximately 5 miles away. Additional features include the ability to email the vessel's track for future reference, label the vessel or write notes through tags, upload custom photos of the vessel, or track the vessel in real-time. These features are especially useful for law enforcement on the water, providing updates on the vessel’s location and course every 30 seconds, enabling potential interception.
This system is designed with openness in mind, frequently shared with a diverse range of stakeholders, including MPA administrators and conservation organizations. It has also contributed to educational initiatives, such as aquarium exhibits, by fostering transparency and collaboration in marine conservation efforts. By providing accessible and actionable data, the system enhances collective efforts to protect marine ecosystems effectively.
Project Backers
- 1Backers
- 30%Funded
- $3,000Total Donations
- $3,000.00Average Donation