Cruise-Industry Tech Could Detect Man-Overboard Events on U.S. Navy Ships
Man-overboard incidents are a tragic occurrence, especially as all too many of the events are self-initiated. To maximize the chances of recovering crewmembers alive, the U.S. Navy is testing a system that would boost early detection.
A team at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division is testing out a camera system that can identify a body falling over the side and trigger an alarm. In testing (using a dummy), the system worked perfectly, according to the engineers involved.
Commercial off-the-shelf software for man overboard detection exists, designed to serve the cruise industry. Port Hueneme's team adapted that software for a Navy-specific application, with funding from the Naval Innovative Science and Engineering program.
The hardware is centered on a pair of thermal cameras mounted to look out over the side. In a real-world application, the cameras would be mounted all around the perimeter of the deck, but the test involved just two units. The team temporarily installed their rig on the Self Defense Test Ship (USS Paul F. Foster, DD-964) and tossed a rubber dummy over the side to see if it would be detected - and it was. Next steps: calculate the cost of a full-scale shipboard installation, and look for an opportunity to trial it on a ship out in the fleet.
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"We needed the test results to be able to show proof of concept," Branch Manager Eric King said in a statement. "[We] have started the discussions with potential sponsors, along with the possibility of integrating the MOB system into a larger program."
Suicide prevention is a top priority for the Navy and Marine Corps, and Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao has made it an early focus of his tenure. After the spate of reported suicide attempts in the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, including at least one man-overboard incident aboard Lincoln, Cao released a message calling on servicemembers to "confront the rising tide of suicide head-on" through active leadership and frank conversations. With Port Hueneme's R&D work, technology from the cruise industry might also be of assistance.
