Vanguard Magazine

www.vanguardcanada.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 31 PERSPECtiVE Sponsored Content TerraSense aRCtiC MiSt ARCTIC MIST, born out of the MIST line of artificial intelligence products from TerraSense Analytics, is a sensor fusion system created to address the unique chal- lenges faced by airborne sensor operators in the Arctic. The new software will en- hance operator capabilities in detecting, identifying, recording, and retrieving sen- sor data in missions ranging from pollu- tion, fishing and cargo vessel tracking, na- val traffic, threats to border security, and search and rescue. ARCTIC MIST uses artificial intelli- gence to integrate existing sensors ranging from electro-optical and infrared turrets to side-looking airborne radar to detect, identify, and track targets in real-time to create a common operating picture. Paired with a SATCOM system and an encrypt- ed identity access management module, ARCTIC MIST enables operators to rap- idly disseminate information and collabo- rate with teams around the world. New sensor platforms have advanced the realm of maritime surveillance with in- creased situational awareness but have left a string of challenges in their wake. The role of the sensor operator is increasingly demanding, as operators must constantly monitor multiple sensor feeds in complex environments. Post-mission analysis be- comes increasingly challenging as analysts must sort through tremendous volumes of sensor data, much of which is relegated to servers without a second look. Effective real-time collaboration is limited by band- width constraints as high-resolution sen- sors overtake SATCOM capacity. ARCTIC MIST takes aim at these chal- lenges, supporting operators in the task of continuously monitoring sensor feeds using artificial intelligence that does not suffer from cognitive fatigue. Target ves- sels, pollution events, and targets of inter- est can be identified, classified, mapped, and measured faster than ever. Bandwidth congestion is reduced as analysts and col- laborators are able to stream rich metadata in real-time, and analysts can retrieve and review data with simple search queries and a global mapping system. "We set out to create a truly usable ar- tificial intelligence system, one that can withstand the rigors of real-life operations and the demands of highly-trained opera- tors, without the learning curves found in legacy systems", says TerraSense CTO Jozsef Hamari. The artificial intelligence at the core of ARCTIC MIST is trained in part with 3-D computer generated imagery. This enables TerraSense to rapidly add new tar- gets and capabilities to the system without a lengthy update process. Dedicated low- power processors run separate neural net- works for each sensor input, ensuring real- time analysis despite very low size, weight, and power requirements onboard the aircraft. As all processing takes place on the aircraft, ARCTIC MIST requires no persistent network connection to ground- based servers. ARCTIC MIST aims to enhance the monitoring of increasingly busy waters, supporting the ever-important mission of domain awareness with cutting-edge arti- ficial intelligence technology designed to meet the unique challenges of the Arctic domain. For more information visit www.terrasense.ca

• Cover