A hierarchical data acquisition system and method applied to a marine information network are provided. Multiple sensor nodes are arranged in clusters, each of the clusters includes a cluster head node and multiple ordinary nodes. The multiple ordinary nodes acquire data information of a seafloor and transmit the acquired data information to the cluster head node, and the cluster head node aggregate the data and transmits the aggregated data to an autonomous underwater vehicle, reducing energy consumption of each of the sensor nodes, prolonging service lives of sensors of a data acquisition layer, and improving data acquisition efficiency of a data acquisition layer. In addition, after each of data acquisition periods, a sensor node in each of the clusters is selected as a cluster head node in a next data acquisition cycle. Cluster head nodes are continuously updated in cycles.

The Earth's oceans naturally distribute items aboard barges or other carrying vessels in an efficient manner. Carrying vessels are inserted into gyres, currents, eddies or other sources of flow by support vessels, which may be manned or autonomous. A carrying vessel may be transported from a port or other origin to a point within a naturally occurring flow of seawater by a support vessel, and permitted to travel at speeds and in directions defined by natural factors, from one point to another point, for extended durations. A carrying vessel may be removed from a naturally occurring flow of seawater by a support vessel and transported to a port or other destination. Flow rates, transit times and points within naturally occurring flows at which a carrying vessel may engage with or disengage from a support vessel may be determined according to a machine learning model or in any other manner.

The Earth's oceans naturally distribute items aboard barges or other carrying vessels in an efficient manner. Carrying vessels are inserted into gyres, currents, eddies or other sources of flow by support vessels, which may be manned or autonomous. A carrying vessel may be transported from a port or other origin to a point within a naturally occurring flow of seawater by a support vessel, and permitted to travel at speeds and in directions defined by natural factors, from one point to another point, for extended durations. A carrying vessel may be removed from a naturally occurring flow of seawater by a support vessel and transported to a port or other destination. Flow rates, transit times and points within naturally occurring flows at which a carrying vessel may engage with or disengage from a support vessel may be determined according to a machine learning model or in any other manner.

Disclosed is a method for driving the display of information on a screen banner equipping a boat wheelhouse control post, the control post including at least one image sensor oriented towards the bow of the boat. The method includes: —a step of acquiring, by means of each image sensor, an image representing the environment ahead of the boat, —a step of processing the image so as to detect each noteworthy zone of this image, and —a step of driving the screen banner so that its displays the image and, superimposed with this image, at least one graphic element distinguishing the noteworthy zone.

A method including operating vehicles through a medium. The vehicles are subject to advection due to movement of the medium. The vehicles are in sufficient proximity to each other that one or more conditions of the medium are about equivalent for the vehicles. The method also includes applying an incremental sequence of about equivalent thrust forces to the plurality of vehicles to generate about equivalent incremental changes in a plurality of steady-state average drag forces for the plurality of vehicles. The method also includes measuring a plurality of speed changes for the plurality of vehicles. The method also includes calculating, from the plurality of speed changes, a plurality of relative speed performance statistics for relative speed performance between pairs of vehicles, wherein calculating is performed independently of the one or more conditions of the medium.

A method including operating vehicles through a medium. The vehicles are subject to advection due to movement of the medium. The vehicles are in sufficient proximity to each other that one or more conditions of the medium are about equivalent for the vehicles. The method also includes applying an incremental sequence of about equivalent thrust forces to the plurality of vehicles to generate about equivalent incremental changes in a plurality of steady-state average drag forces for the plurality of vehicles. The method also includes measuring a plurality of speed changes for the plurality of vehicles. The method also includes calculating, from the plurality of speed changes, a plurality of relative speed performance statistics for relative speed performance between pairs of vehicles, wherein calculating is performed independently of the one or more conditions of the medium.

A method includes: extracting Time to Closest Point of Approach included in a predetermined time from “risk value information” that stores a “Closest Point of Approach”, the “Time to Closest Point of Approach” and a “risk value” for “a first vessel and a second vessel”, the risk value being a value indicating a possibility of collision between the first vessel and the second vessel at the Closest Point of Approach and the Time to Closest Point of Approach; acquiring the Closest. Point of Approach and the risk value corresponding to the extracted Time to Closest Point of Approach from the risk value information; determining to which sea area the acquired Closest. Point of Approach belongs to; and executing calculation processing that includes calculating a sum of risk values corresponding to the Closest Point of Approach for each of sea areas to which the determined Closest Point of Approach belongs.

A navigation aid light-signaling device includes a main body inserted in an upper extremity of a dolphin. The light-signaling device includes: fasteners for the attachment of said light-signaling device to the upper extremity of a small dolphin; at least one light source generating a directional and fixed light beam, said light beam being directed toward a second light-signaling device located at a given distance from the light-signaling device on a second dolphin, and a power supply supplying said light-signaling device.

A navigation aid light-signaling device includes a main body inserted in an upper extremity of a dolphin. The light-signaling device includes: fasteners for the attachment of said light-signaling device to the upper extremity of a small dolphin; at least one light source generating a directional and fixed light beam, said light beam being directed toward a second light-signaling device located at a given distance from the light-signaling device on a second dolphin, and a power supply supplying said light-signaling device.

The device for detecting mooring in a navigable area comprises: means for detecting the presence of a boat close to a berthing member or attached to said berthing member, means (56) for transmitting information representative of the detection performed and means (59) for transmitting a request (58) to a communicating portable terminal (56) associated with the user of the boat of which a movement has been detected, in order to receive, in return, an envisaged duration of presence of the boat in the navigable area.