IBEX 365 News

Gain a Sixth Sense on the Water by Adding AI Detection System LOOKOUT to Your Boat

By Theresa Nicholson

Product Category: OEM Electronics

U.S. Coast Guard studies show that 96 percent of boating accidents are a result of human error. LOOKOUT AI-Powered Marine Vision System uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to automatically identify and track potential hazards. Using augmented video overlays and a 3D aerial view, the system displays hazard data on compatible multifunction displays.

“The company was founded by a boater who experienced a near-miss that nearly killed two boaters,” said LOOKOUT CEO David Rose. “So many captains have stories like this.”

LOOKOUT addresses the most common causes of boating accidents, such as operator inattention and improper LOOKOUT, by providing constant, automated monitoring of the surrounding waters.

“It’s like having a a second set of eyes thats always on watch”

What problem is LOOKOUT designed to solve?
Every year, the U.S. Coast Guard tracks the causes of boating accidents. These statistics show that 96 percent of the time the cause of the accident is human error. The top five documented causes have to do with attention management. Everyone needs a LOOKOUT!

The LOOKOUT AI vision system, an advanced marine safety system that combines AI-powered cameras with a Coast Guard-certified navigation light, can be used to enhance collision avoidance and situational awareness for all boaters. Designed to operate day or night and integrate with major marine displays, it uses real-time data fusion and alerts to help prevent accidents caused by inattention or limited visibility.

The company was founded by a boater who experienced a near-miss that nearly killed two boaters. There are so many captains who have stories like this.

LOOKOUT is backed by MIT Alumni Angels, New York Yacht Club members, and Android inventor Rich Miner, and augments human vision in three ways:
-Improved night vision
-Improved peripheral awareness
-Detection of hazards at a distance

We give captains more time to make better decisions at the helm!

How would you describe your product and the innovation behind it?
LOOKOUT is the first company that combines AI computer vision with augmented reality navigation. Think Tesla’s interface meets fighter jet heads-up displays, but designed for an environment where a floating log can sink your boat.

The AI detects hazards 30 times per second—dramatically faster than radar. It’s trained to spot boats, debris, and people. It projects augmented graphics directly onto the 360 and night-vision camera views. This makes MFD “scene understanding” much faster. People are less likely to “get lost in the chart.” As one captain told us, “It’s like having a co-captain who never blinks.”

Who is the target market for LOOKOUT?
LOOKOUT isn’t an upgrade—it’s essential equipment, like a car’s back-up camera.

LOOKOUT adds the most value on vessels 30-60 feet, where closed cabins, speed, or operational complexity create blind spots that human attention alone can’t cover. LOOKOUT has a 360° surround view camera that covers these blind spots. Anglers with center consoles running offshore before dawn love LOOKOUT’s night vision. Sport fishing boats navigating congested inlets and electric foiling craft moving fast with a deep draft love the hazard detection. Commercial operators—crew supply vessels, ferries, charters, maritime patrol— can’t afford an incident and need to be out in the worst conditions, so they are installing LOOKOUT, too.

Who is currently using LOOKOUT? What feedback have you received?
This year we’ll be aboard 100+ boats. Center consoles, sport fishing boats, cruisers, fast foiling ferries, workboats, and more. Captains praise how LOOKOUT combines data from all sources into one holistic augmented navigation view which is glanceable, so they can get their eyes back on the water.

A veteran Coast Guard captain noted: “We have to be out in every kind of weather, day or night – so we value tools for rapid situational awareness.”

LOOKOUT excels in situations where captains need it most—after dark, in congested areas, at high speeds, and in waters with debris.

Are any boat builders using LOOKOUT? What feedback have you received?
We’ve installed and tested LOOKOUT aboard the industry’s best: Nordhavn, Hinckley, Scout, Viking, Safeboat, Candela, HCB, Artemis, Sabre, Solace, and more. We continually refine the product and features based on feedback from builders, dealers, and insightful captains.

From Maine lobster pots, dead head logs, whales and kayakers, we’ve trained LOOKOUT in low-light, waves and challenging weather. Premium boat brands and boat clubs use LOOKOUT because it’s engineered for the toughest conditions.

What obstacles arose during the R&D process? What sort of factors, feedback and market research led to this design?
Training AI to see with precision on water required thousands of hours of video from hundreds of boats. We ran VR simulations to refine AR overlays and iterate on the system interface design over the last four years. We thank all of the professional and novice captains, customers and our advisory board for all of their insights. The LOOKOUT camera’s simple industrial design, with a built-in white navigation light, was inspired by feedback on these outings. As a result, installation is easy and fast compared to drilling holes in your hull.

How will LOOKOUT integrate into boating systems already in place?
The LOOKOUT Brain (NVIDIA processor) fuses data from every sensor aboard—cameras, GPS, radar, AIS, sonar—into a single augmented view on your existing Garmin, Furuno, Raymarine, or Simrad display.

Is the development of LOOKOUT in response to any trends in the boating industry?
Many marine engine builders are pursuing assistance systems to provide safety and confidence, and marine electronics companies want to make their auto-pilot more like cars, with the ability to perceive and respond to what is around them. LOOKOUT provides the last piece of the puzzle: the perception system.

What impact do you see LOOKOUT having on the boating industry?
New tools often expand the market for hobbies. Mapping apps like AllTrails help millions of people feel comfortable hiking in the woods. In the same way, LOOKOUT makes boating more accessible and approachable. Our partnerships with boat clubs prove this repeatedly. Beyond access, LOOKOUT transforms marine insurance economics. Journey logs and hazard detection reduce accidents, streamline claims, and will become required by insurers—just as telematics transformed trucking insurance.

What’s next for LOOKOUT, the company? What plans do you have for the future of this design?
Autopilot integration: we’re developing the first LOOKOUT-powered autopilot, the autopilot that can see. The captain stays in command while LOOKOUT gives the autopilot eyes, so it routes around what it detects, under your command and consistent with COLREGs (the international Rules of the Road at sea). 

What do you think customers like most about this product?
Customers tell us they appreciate the real-time hazard detection, 3D AR overlays, and intuitive routing and navigation experience—especially in fog, narrow channels and unfamiliar waters. There is nothing like it on the market. It feels like gaining a sixth sense on the water. Today every car uses GPS routing despite knowing the destination. On the water—with weather, tides, currents and traffic—smart routing isn’t optional, it’s survival. The question isn’t whether AI belongs on boats. It’s why boating waited so long to arrive in the 21st century.