Sasikumar highlighted the challenges faced by large container ships, car carriers, and oil tankers, which typically operate with only 20 to 25 crew members. This limited manpower makes it nearly impossible to monitor every deck continuously. He noted a concerning rise in fire incidents on vessels, particularly due to the increased transport of lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles. Current fire detection systems are often reactive, and lithium battery fires can escalate rapidly, reaching temperatures close to 1,000 degrees Celsius in mere seconds. This leaves crew members with only five to six minutes to address the fire before it spirals out of control.
To address these challenges, the Dtyle.AI system is designed to operate effectively in maritime environments where internet connectivity is limited or non-existent, and where radar interference is prevalent. Rather than relying on cloud-based processing, Dtyle.AI utilizes onboard edge devices to run its artificial intelligence models, ensuring functionality even without a stable connection.
In a recent pilot project at Chennai Port, the company tested wireless cameras integrated with its edge AI platform on an oil tanker. Sasikumar reported that the system successfully detected smoke in just 13 milliseconds, outperforming human reaction times. He emphasized that the technology proved effective under low bandwidth conditions and amid the unique challenges posed by maritime operations.
