New Software Introduces AI-powered Bathymetric Data Processing

Hydroacoustic technology specialist GeoAcoustics Ltd has officially released GS4 software v1.0.25 for GeoSwath bathymetric sonars, adding several upgrades including an Artificial Intelligence data processing system developed in collaboration with the University of East Anglia. The software update is available free of charge for customers already operating GS4 software v1.0.24.

The new AI processing augments the existing automated filtering in the GS4 software by removing surplus and undesired data autonomously; during acquisition, the system is designed to log clean data, without any user intervention in the cleaning process, enabling better operational agility and decision support, while cutting the time to final data in post-processing.

The processing happens in real-time, so users only need to oversee data quality and coverage during acquisition, while at the post processing stage, the focus can be purely on georeferencing the bathymetric data using deterministic calculations. The final, noise free and high-resolution bathy products will be fully reproducible with minimal human intervention.

“Our new AI provides real-time actionable bathymetric data on the survey vessel, providing scope for checking coverage and target detection while out on the water,” said Richard Dowdeswell, General Manager, GeoAcoustics Ltd. “It negates the need for a return survey as the quality of the data acquired is known before returning to shore, which reduces the potential for cost overruns and accelerates delivery of the final data to the client.”

GS4 software v1.0.25 adds further operational improvements including Survey Accuracy indication, and an auto mode for side scan data processing.