SafeMetrix is Developing AI-Based Assessment for Seafarer Soft Skills

SafeMetrix, a product line of Safebridge, has announced a new ground-breaking project aimed at developing an entirely new approach to assessing soft skills using natural language processing (NLP). This technology will allow instant processing and scoring based on the platform’s “real conversations” with the users.

To make this technology available to companies in the maritime industry, the SafeMetrix team has partnered with two of the most esteemed research centres in Germany, Fraunhofer IDMT and  Jade University of Applied Sciences. With a combined effort, the product is set to go live in 2022.

What is Natural Language Processing (NLP)?

According to Deloitte, Natural Language Processing (NLP) encompasses the entire cycle of AI recognizing human speech, understanding and processing natural language. This is one of the most challenging and revolutionary applications of artificial intelligence and is the aspect set to transform the way we interact with technology. 

As futuristic as it sounds, you have most probably already experienced NLP in your everyday life. Virtual assistants such as Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant use NLP in order to listen, understand and process your commands. These days, if you have any questions, you can ask a computer: “what is the weather like tomorrow?”. The computer understands the keywords “tomorrow” and “weather” and provides the relevant data: “82°F, cloudy.”

These capabilities are expected to improve dramatically over the coming years when we will be able to have a spontaneous conversation with a machine that is indistinguishable from the one you will have with a human and our goal is to incorporate this into the assessment of soft skills.

NLP: Transforming maritime crew assessments

Natural language processing (NLP) is the key to creating the next generation of assessments. The technology will allow for the procedure to take the form of a dialogue. The AI behind the platform will be the “interviewer” asking the questions, and processing the spontaneous response of the user, taking into consideration the choice of words, tone and sentiment. After successful integration and detailed testing, companies can expect a significant additional layer of data for the final evaluation of a seafarer as well as a reduction in administrative costs associated with the processing of the assessment data.

The SafeMetrix platform and its assessment portfolio are currently focused on delivering high quality, maritime-specific psychometric assessments for the crews’ non-technical skills. These skills are increasingly important for both the wellbeing of the seafarer and the overall safety of the operations at sea.