The AI-ARC (Artificial Intelligence based Virtual Control Room for the Arctic) project presents a highly innovative and user-friendly artificial
intelligence (AI) based platform known as the Virtual Control Room (VCR). Due to the vast amounts of information collected the potential for information overload is real.
This reality can complicate the operational picture; reduce situational awareness and often results in delayed and impaired decision-making. On the other hand, areas such
as the Arctic Sea suffer from a lack of communication, surveillance data and rescue assets and without action taken to address these vulnerabilities, the consequences are
potentially dramatic in terms of accidents, pollution, border infringements and criminal activities.
The AI-ARC VCR supports all these challenges by applying AI, machine-learning and virtual reality (VR) technologies to filter numerous validated
and statistical data streams and databases to a user-friendly interface. The VCR improves situational awareness by assisting end users to customize a “smart” operational picture.
The VCR will permit users to specify their preferences in terms of threat levels, abnormal behaviour, interoperability and risk management by flagging detected anomalies with
confidence and providing threat or risk levels according to a predefined model based on user preferences. This means that users can create awareness for their own purposes that
reflects their needs without increasing their workload. AI-ARC‘s principal objectives align fully with the H2020 BES-SU-open, and are of crucial relevance to it.
The Virtual Control Room (VCR) has the power to greatly improve maritime situational awareness, decision-making, communication, available
rescue resources, and thus the safety of all maritime actors, particularly in the Arctic Sea. Furthermore, the enhanced communication and collaboration provided by AI ARC’s innovative
technology encourages, and enables further development of symbiotic services and fosters much needed Arctic cooperation.