CHENNAI: IIT Madras (IIT-M) researchers have developed a real-time digital twin platform to test autonomous ships, enhance maritime safety and train professionals in simulated ocean conditions.
Named SEANAV (Sea Navigation), the platform combines AI, Virtual Reality (VR) and sensor technology to simulate ships, ocean conditions and vessel movements. It enables researchers to test autonomous navigation systems without expensive and hazardous trials at sea, IIT-M said in a statement.
Developed by the Department of Ocean Engineering using the Unity3D engine, SEANAV demonstrates autonomous ship path-following and AI-based collision avoidance. It also accounts for real-world sensor limitations, including noise and delays, allowing navigation systems to be tested under challenging weather conditions.
The platform can simulate multiple autonomous ships navigating alongside one another, avoiding collisions and complying with international maritime safety rules (COLREGs).
Using Meta’s VR headsets, trainees can practise collision avoidance, emergency response, port approaches and vessel manoeuvring from a simulated ship’s bridge. The research was led by Associate Professor Suresh Rajendran. The findings were published in the Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering.