AIS TRACKING AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE EQUIPMENT FOR SMALL BOATS

HSARPA N04.1-006, Phase I, Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR)

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Maritime Platforms

 OBJECTIVE: Develop for use on small boats an inexpensive marine vessel tracking and collision warning device. The device’s design is based upon the definition of an Automatic Identification System (AIS) “Class B Basic” unit as established by the International Electrotechnical Commission. A “Class B Basic” device is intended to meet the minimum requirements for a mobile AIS device. The goal of this research is the production of units with a retail cost of less than $250. This research should also investigate and incorporate processes and displays that assist a user in detecting and avoiding hazardous navigational conditions.

ABSTRACT:  We propose a novel architecture for a Class B Automatic Identification System device satisfying two major objectives: hardware cost reduction, so large numbers of smaller boats can be economically equipped; and software enhancement, to convert raw AIS data into decision-quality information, warnings and recommendations, displayed to facilitate rapid comprehension and collision avoidance maneuver by recreational boaters. The GPS receiver and the user interface subsystems can be either integrated with the VHF transceiver unit or externally coupled, enabling exploitation of boaters’ existing GPS and display units to: reduce cost; minimize size, weight and power requirements on small boats; avoid overwhelming boaters with too many devices and displays competing for their attention while piloting their craft; and thereby overcome boater resistance to deployment.  Significant hardware cost reduction and capability enhancement will derive from replacing the multiple VHF receivers and transmitter with a single Software Defined Radio transceiver, capable of simultaneously receiving on 3 channels or transmitting on AIS1 or AIS2.  Software will refine AIS GPS data into information and display it suitably per human factors considerations. The results will be improved navigation and collision avoidance, ultimately improving safety and security for boaters, infrastructure and the public.