Oscar
Oscar is a German-developed product that uses two thermal and one optical camera to scan the water ahead of the boat for obstacles. The lower-resolution thermal inputs give it the ability to ‘see’ at night, while the optical camera adds an extra element of security during daylight hours. ‘Thermal will give the most accurate result no matter if it’s day or night,’ explains marketing manager Patrick Haebig. ‘Glare or objects with a similar colour like the ocean surface make it hard to detect on colour images.’
The signals from the cameras are fed into a graphical processing unit – in some models this is located in the masthead unit, while others keep the brains of the device below decks.
The ability to extract meaningful data from a series of images that are pitching and rolling relies on complex computing, and is a relatively recent development in consumer products.
Oscar itself uses deep learning techniques based on a network of artificial neurons, modelled on the human brain. In essence, it gets better at its job as it builds up experience.
But so that you are not starting with a blank sheet, the machine is already programmed with the results of hundreds of hours of development conducted onshore with the help of cloud supercomputing.
Some 55 million sea images have been tagged for different objects, which allow Oscar to distinguish between motor and sailing boats, buoys, land and lighthouses.
If it sees something it doesn’t recognise, or which could pose a danger, it warns you.
Oscar comes in two different specs – the cheaper 320 which uses lower resolution 320x256 pixel thermal cameras; and the Advanced 640 with double the thermal resolution.
The upshot is that the cheaper unit can spot objects as small as 1m² from up to 75m away, or a bigger 8m object from 600m away. With the 640 unit, the detection threshold moves out to 150m for small objects or up to a kilometre away for bigger ones.
The mast module must be mounted above the headsails and at least 8m above the water. ‘This has to do with the triangulation that we need in order to calculate distance between the Oscar user and an obstacle,’ says Haebig. ‘Though there is no real size limit for boats, I would consider Oscar to be a
great asset for boats of 40ft and more.’
It has a vertical beam width of 50º, and has to be able to ‘see’ the horizon, which means it has a small blind spot that extends a few metres out from the bow. The horizontal field of vision is 120º using the optical camera and 50º from the thermal, which should be more than enough to identify passive objects in the water.
Clever programming allows the system to integrate seamlessly with modern MFDS, including the Zeus 3 and Vulcan from B&G, all Garmin units, Raymarine’s Axiom and Axiom Pro and Furuno’s TZT3 and TZT2 units. It will also work via a PC and a smartphone app. Installation is a simple case of fixing a bracket to the mast and running a cable down to the deck.
A total of 18 of the latest Vendée Globe boats – more than half of the 33-strong fleet – have been trialling the technology. And though it doesn’t eliminate the risk of collision completely, as Sam Davies can attest, there have also been reports of some near misses thanks to Oscar. Boris Herrmann on Seaexplorer is even testing a feature which allows Oscar to take over the helm. ‘In this first version, it just bears away a little, so the speed goes down,’ explains Haebig. It’s a feature that will surely find its way into the finished product. ‘In truth it’s a liability question for a normal skipper.
We will probably do it in the future via an alarm and a message that you as a skipper have to confirm.’
■ Oscar One 320: €11,650 www.oscar-navigation.com