Harnessing Edge AI to Map Plastic Debris in the World's Oceans

Learn how AI-powered computer vision is being deployed to combat ocean plastic pollution in this technical presentation showcasing the collaboration between Au-Zone and The Ocean Cleanup. Explore the development and implementation of an edge-optimized AI pipeline for the Automated Ocean Debris Imaging System (ADIS), designed to enhance debris detection, modeling, and collection in marine environments. Discover solutions to unique challenges in deploying intelligence at the edge, including model training, real-time data processing on moving vessels, operation in extreme conditions, and managing connectivity and power constraints. Gain detailed insights into the development process of embedded machine learning models for real-time plastic density monitoring, from initial data collection through model optimization to deployment and scaling. Understand how the collected data contributes to improving marine system modeling and optimizing debris recovery efforts, demonstrating how edge AI technology can be harnessed for meaningful environmental conservation impact.