Researchers in Scotland are exploring using holographic 3D imaging and artificial intelligence to detect microscopic sea lice larvae in the sea.
Currently the most common way of testing for the parasite is to analyse water samples under a microscope – a process which can take several days to yield results.
Now scientists from the University of Aberdeen alongside the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) are developing a system fed with thousands of holographic images of sea lice which can then easily and quickly identify the sea lice.
“Sea lice are a concern for the aquaculture sector and regulators and one of the first steps to managing them is to identify whether they are present in the water,” said Dr Helena Reinardy, aquaculture researcher at SAMS.
“This new system could provide an opportunity for more regular and accurate monitoring to provide an early indication of potential sea lice risks and, by the end of this project, we hope to be ready for trialling the system at sea.”
Digital holography enables cameras to instantaneously extract high-resolution images from a volume of water. One hologram can provide a set of data equivalent to thousands of standard photographic images.
Identifying sea lice from other species has previously been compared to looking for a needle in a haystack, so the researchers will use AI to help tackle this, priming the ’weeHoloCam’ with thousands of holographic images of sea lice recorded in the lab at SAMS.
In the future, the system could be used by seafood producers as an early indication of sea lice at the larval stage, as well as being integrated into management strategies.
The project has been awarded more than £580,000 in funding from the UK Seafood Innovation Fund and the Sustainable Aquaculture Centre. It is also supported by electronics business Hi-Z 3D, seafood producer Mowi, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Scottish government’s marine directorate.
