April 23, 2024 — Earth observation (EO) and particle physics research have more in common than you might think. In both environments, fast and accurate data analysis is paramount, whether capturing fleeting particle collisions or detecting ephemeral traces of ocean plastic.
CERN’s data management expertise is being put to use to tackle marine plastic litter through a new EU project, Edge SpAIce.
CERN is pleased to announce a new EU project, Edge SpAIce, which will apply CERN’s cutting-edge AI technologies to monitor Earth’s ecosystems from space and detect and track plastic pollution in the oceans.
“In particle physics, trigger systems play a vital role in quickly deciding which data should be retained from particle detectors. Every second, 40 million collision snapshots are recorded, but only a small fraction of them can be recorded. The amount of data flowing into the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has increased significantly in the last few years, and physicists and computer scientists are continuously innovating to upgrade this process. This is where AI technologies come in,” said Cioni Summers, a CERN physicist who works on the LHC’s CMS experiment and oversees the research.
Edge SpAIce is a joint project involving CERN, EnduroSat (BG) and NTU Athens (GR) coordinated by AGENIUM Space. Its aim is to develop an on-board system specially designed for satellites that allows them to acquire and process high-resolution images using DNNs (Deep Neural Networks). The system uses an “edge AI” approach, where data is processed in near real-time directly on the satellite, mirroring the efficient filtering of LHC data in CERN’s particle detectors.
This means that not all captured data needs to be transmitted back to Earth, but only the relevant information (in this case the presence of marine plastic debris). The system is also deployed on European developed FPGA hardware, making it more competitive. This could open up a whole new market for EO services and applications.
As modern life becomes increasingly reliant on technology, the solutions this project offers neatly address the growing demand for data processing and the rapid expansion of EO satellites. By eliminating the need for large amounts of processing in data centers on Earth, it not only reduces the carbon footprint but also helps ease the strain on these facilities.
This innovative approach is expected to have broader applications in areas such as agriculture, urban planning, disaster relief and climate change. Additionally, the technology will provide environmental scientists and policymakers with valuable data for targeted cleanup efforts. A better understanding of patterns of plastic pollution will improve our ability to effectively address environmental issues.
“AGENIUM Space is very pleased to find synergies with CERN in developing innovative solutions for the future of our planet,” said Dr. Andis Dembovskis, Business Development Director at AGENIUM Space.
The Edge SpAIce project demonstrates that creative thinking by partners from different disciplines can lead to collaborative knowledge transfer projects that address major societal challenges. To find out how CERN’s other knowledge transfer and innovation projects are having a positive impact on the environment, please visit https://kt.cern/environment.
Source: Marzena Rapka, CERN