Buffalo Automation

Buffalo Automation is an artificial intelligence (AI) startup that develops autonomous navigation technology for commercial ships, recreational boats, and water taxis with the goal to improve maritime safety.[2][3][4] It is a private company based in Buffalo, New York.[5][6] Thiru Vikram is the CEO of the company.[7]

Buffalo Automation Group, Inc
TypePrivate
IndustryArtificial Intelligence

Applied Machine Learning
Autonomous robot
Boating
Guidance, navigation, and control
Maritime transport

Unmanned surface vehicle
Founded2015
FoundersThiru Vikram

Alexander Zhitelzeyf

Emilie Reynolds[1]
Headquarters
Buffalo, New York
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsAutoMate
Bifrost
The Mayday (formerly Greycraft)
Websitehttps://www.buffautomation.com/

History

Buffalo Automation was founded by Thiru Vikram, Alexander Zhitelzeyf and Emilie Reynolds, who were engineering students at the University at Buffalo.[3][8] Originating as a university research project, the concept was transformed into a company in 2015.[9]

AutoMate

The team developed AutoMate, a predictive system[10] which uses artificial intelligence technology and neural networks to coordinate and integrate data, decisions, and actions based on nautical maps, cameras, sensors, thermal imaging, broadband radars, GPS, LiDAR[11] and Automatic Identification System (AIS).[12][13] The system allows autonomous identification and safe navigation around stationary objects (allision avoidance),[4] swimmers, and other vessels within the surrounding 24 nautical miles (28 mi).[5][9][14] Initially developed as a fleet management and autopilot solution for the commercial shipping industry, the technology has since been adapted for use with recreational boats, including yachts and motorboats.[15] Initial tests were performed in 2015, using a 16-foot (4.9 m)-long catamaran equipped with the AutoMate system.[16]

In addition to hazard identification and avoidance, the AutoMate system also employs neural networks to recognize navigation signs, help vessels maneuver in compliance with International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), and interpret weather conditions.[6][17][18] The technology helps in fuel efficiency, which was tested in 2018 on vessels in the Great Lakes.[19][20]

In early 2018, Buffalo Automation began tests of a 22-foot (6.7 m)-long autonomous pleasure boat made by Sea Ray, a boat manufacturer owned by the Brunswick Boat Group.[21][22][23] Also in 2018, Buffalo Automation expanded its sales focus to Europe.[24]

Trials of the United Kingdom's first robot water taxis, watercraft equipped with the AutoMate autonomous navigation system, are scheduled for summer 2020 in Plymouth (UK).[2][25]

The Mayday

In 2020, Buffalo Automation introduced The Mayday (originally named Greycraft),[26] a free app designed to encourage people to experiment with and experience artificial intelligence technology that is otherwise not readily accessible to the average person.[27] Greycraft operates as a self-contained offline neural network capable of detecting boats, ships, and other vessels visible to a cell phone camera.[27]

Bifrost

In 2020, Buffalo Automation redeveloped its thermal imaging software to enable rapid skin temperature scanning of multiple people in a crowd to detect fever,[28] in response to a health care and public health sector unmet need created by the COVID-19 pandemic.[28] Named Bifrost, the system operates as a Software as a service (SaaS) solution, where Buffalo Automation's convolutional neural network is combined with existing thermal imaging equipment in order to rapidly report the skin temperature of different facial regions of each individual in a crowd.[29][30] The Bifrost Project was piloted at the entry to the University of Buffalo Neurosurgery Center of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.[31]

Greycraft

In 2021, Buffalo Automation unveiled its self-driving Greycraft water taxi, which uses cameras, laser scanners, radar, satellite, GPS and compass information to see around the water and guide itself.[32] The autonomous solar and electric-powered water taxi was first showed off alongside Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon on January 7, 2021.[33] The Greycraft is currently pending approval from the Knoxville City Council to allow for public use in East Tennessee.[34]

Funding

In 2016, Buffalo Automation secured US$25,000 in pre-seed investments from Launch NY and Z80 Labs. In 2018, it raised $900,000 in a seed funding round led by the Jacobs family office, with Z80 making a $100,000 follow-on investment.[3][7] Grants from SUNY and New York State business plan competition prizes helped bootstrap early activity.[7]

Awards and recognition
  • In 2015, Buffalo Automation won the inaugural Buffalo Student Sandbox, an accelerator program.[35]
  • In 2016, it won the University at Buffalo's Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition.[36][1] The same year, the company was nominated as a finalist for the Innovation Award by Lloyd's List,[37] and won the New York Business Plan Competition, under the Information Technology/Software category.[17][36]
  • In 2018, Buffalo Automation was a semifinalist in 43 North, a startup pitch competition.[38]
  • In 2019, Buffalo Automation's flagship product, the AutoMate won the second annual XCELLENCE Awards by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) for Detect & Avoid Solutions. NASA's ICAROUS placed second and Auterion's PX4 Avoidance was awarded third place.[39]

See also

References
  1. "Thiru Vikram-led Startup Wins University of Buffalo Entrepreneur Competition". India West. June 24, 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  2. Telford, William (16 Apr 2020). "Robot water taxis to be trialled by US tech giants in Plymouth". Plymouth Live. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  3. Caya, Chris. "Are self-navigating boats on the horizon?". NPR (Buffalo). Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  4. "AI Startup Receives $900k for Self-Driving Boats". Great Lakes Boating. 1 Apr 2018. Retrieved 2 Feb 2020.
  5. Bazan, Josh (2018-04-11). "Buffalo company leading the way in self-driving boat technology". WKBW. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  6. "Automating Boat Travel with Buffalo Automation | Techweek". Techweek. 2018-05-09. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  7. Stewart, Jack (May 28, 2018). "Forget Robo-Cars and Hit the Water on an Autonomous Boat". Wired (magazine).
  8. "Launch NY, Z80 back self-piloting ship startup". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  9. Dhakappa, Bhargav (May 9, 2018). "Automating Boat Travel with Buffalo Automation". TechWeek (magazine).
  10. Nealon, Cory (October 7, 2015). "A yacht that pilots itself". phys.org. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  11. "Some Companies Working on Autonomous Boats". Nanalyze. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  12. Lindeman, Tracey (April 18, 2018). "Autonomous Boats Will Be On the Market Sooner Than Self-Driving Cars". Vice (magazine).
  13. Dorsch, Jeff (3 Jun 2018). "Progress And Chaos On Road To Autonomy". SemiConductor Engineering. SMG. Retrieved 4 Dec 2019.
  14. "Self-driving boats might row soon". The Financial Express (India). June 10, 2018.
  15. Lehman, Joel (27 Apr 2018). "The journey to funding: Buffalo Automation's story". upstartny.org. Issue Media Group. Retrieved 2 Feb 2020.
  16. Ungureanu, Horia (10 October 2015). "Driverless Autopilot For Boats Will Make The Lives Of Captains Much Easier". Tech Times. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  17. "Buffalo Automation Raises $900,000 In Seed Round". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  18. "Autonomous Boats Will Be On the Market Sooner Than Self-Driving Cars". Motherboard. 2018-04-18. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  19. Zable, Stacey. "Shipping industry sees automation as inevitable next step in evolution" (PDF) (August 2018). USA Today.
  20. Bouchard, Jay. "No Captain, No Problem: Self-Driving Boats" (July 2016). Great Lakes Boating.
  21. Levere, Douglas (September 27, 2018). "Buffalo Automation starting to scale its maritime-tech business". Buffalo Business First.
  22. Miner, Dan (April 1, 2016). "Buffalo TechCast (Vol. 64): The world's first self-piloted ship". Buffalo Business First.
  23. Ungureanu, Horia (October 10, 2015). "Driverless Autopilot For Boats Will Make The Lives Of Captains Much Easier". Tech Times.
  24. Miner, Dan. "Buffalo Automation starting to scale its maritime-tech business". www.bizjournals.com. Buffalo Business First. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  25. Lowe, Yohannes (17 Apr 2020). "Britain's first robot water taxis to be unveiled in Plymouth as US tech firm announces trial". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  26. "The Mayday". Google Play. Google. 2020. Retrieved 12 Oct 2020.
  27. Miner, Dan (15 Aug 2020). "Who's Your Landlord CEO on personal tragedy, business traction and his company's future". Buffalo Business First. Buffalo, NY. Retrieved 2 Sep 2020.
  28. Miner, Dan (17 May 2020). "Fast growth, hiring binges, millions in funding: Buffalo-based startups offer slivers of hope". Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  29. Desmond, Mike (8 Sep 2020). "Local company using thermal imaging to find a COVID fever in a crowd". NPR. USA. Retrieved 10 Oct 2020.
  30. Branning, Barbara (3 Sep 2020). "UB-linked startup develops technology that streamlines process of detecting fevers". UBNow. USA. Retrieved 10 Oct 2020.
  31. "Startup company founded by UB grads develops technology that streamlines process of detecting fevers". WNY Papers (Niagara Frontier Publications). 2 Sep 2020. Retrieved 11 Oct 2020.
  32. "Company demonstrates autonomous water taxi concept at Volunteer Landing". wbir.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  33. "Company testing driverless water taxi service on Tennessee River". WATE 6 On Your Side. 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  34. Crocker, Brittany. "World's first self-driving water taxi is ready to ferry passengers in Knoxville". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  35. "Buffalo Automation Group takes top prize in Buffalo Student Sandbox accelerator". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  36. "UB-affiliated artificial intelligence startup raises $900,000 in seed round to advance driverless boat technology - University at Buffalo". www.buffalo.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  37. Miner, Dan (2016-04-04). "Self-navigating ship startup wins prestigious Panasci prize". Buffalo Business First. Retrieved 2018-05-11 – via www.bizjournals.com.
  38. "43North announces $5 million competition semifinalists". 43north.org. 23 July 2018.
  39. "Winners Named for Second Annual AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards". Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. 2019-04-30. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
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