Method for automated real-time acquisition of marine mammals

A method for automated real-time acquisition of a marine mammal in a natural body of water in the surroundings of a vessel, the method comprising:

• detecting a thermal signature of the marine mammal by imaging thermographic scanning of a water surface with an infrared camera system so as to generate an image data stream of consecutive images;
• subdividing each of the images into individual pixels;
• performing a modular processing of the image data stream in a computer including at least the following consecutive sub-processes implemented in individual computer components:
• performing an image pre-processing of each of the images including image buffering and image segmentation into individual snippets from unweighted sub-images via a plurality of the consecutive images with image orientation;
• detecting local changes in contrast in the images using a limit value algorithm based on a quotient of a short-term average value to a long-term average value under specification of a temporally adaptive limit value;
• classifying, using only respective snippets of the individual snippets which exceed the temporarily adaptive limit value, the detected local changes in contrast so as to detect a pattern of the thermal signature of the marine mammal, the classifying being performed by monitored learning using a support vector method with a m-dimensional hyper level calculated by specification of selected training datasets and parameters of a grading into two classes above and below the hyper level, wherein only the respective snippets exceeding a decision value as a distance to the hyper level are allocated to a class corresponding to the thermal signature of the marine mammal;
• localizing, using only the snippets exceeding the decision value, the classified thermal signature of the marine mammal at least using global position data of the vessel, the localizing including performing calculations, in an automated manner, of a distance of the detected thermal signature of the marine mammal and a temporal and a spatial change to at least one of the vessel and devices located in the body of water in the surroundings of the vessel, the calculations and the snippets exceeding the decision value being passed on for at least one of verification and documentation;
• verifying the classified, localized thermal signature of the marine mammal by subjecting the snippets exceeding the decision value to an instantaneous true or false decision by an operator, the snippets and the respective decisions being automatically or manually supplied to the training datasets;
• and
• documenting the classified, localized and verified thermal signature of the marine mammal with at least one permanent storage of image data in the image data stream and with a pictorial representation of the processed image data stream on a graphical user interface of the computer, the documenting including storing, in an automated fashion, user-specific image data of the marine mammal together with associated details from the localizing.