Cathx Ocean Unveils New INKA Camera

Offshore surveyors and operators have long faced the challenge of data bottlenecks, where vast amounts of raw subsea data require time-consuming post-mission processing, leading to delays and increased operational costs. Cathx Ocean is set to solve this problem with the launch of INKA Iris at UDT 2025.

INKA is Cathx Ocean’s onboard hardware processing platform, designed to bring real-time AI-driven decision-making to subsea vehicles. Iris is the first camera built on the INKA platform, delivering imaging and onboard data processing in a compact, power-efficient package. Built on customer feedback and real-world testing, INKA Iris, combined with the Clarity Autonomous Perception Platform, enables subsea vehicles to run AI models directly on the sensor, significantly enhancing real-time data analysis.

Unlike traditional systems that require extensive post-processing, INKA Iris processes data in real time, directly on the device. This capability reduces manual processing steps after acquisition, enhances survey efficiency, and accelerates decision-making—particularly for mid-sized autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and compact remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) operating in shallow water. By running automated workflows on the vehicle, including AI models, INKA Iris enables valuable use cases such as image enhancement, instant event detection, and automated classification.

Key advantages include:

• Onboard real-time AI processing and up to 70 hours of onboard storage
• Intuitive user interface and simplified integration
• Optimized for mid-size AUVs and compact ROVs
• High-quality imaging in a smaller package
• Optimized auto features for seamless operation
• Future-proofed, AI-driven processing hardware

Cathx Ocean will officially launch INKA Iris at Ocean Business 2025 (Stand W2), where attendees will see firsthand how this technology transforms subsea data acquisition. First orders will ship in May 2025, with case studies demonstrating its use in object detection and automated eventing applications to follow.