Photo: Lerøy
In aquaculture companies today, the need and expectations for reporting and analysis are increasing to create a good basis for fact-based decisions. Despite the widespread use of sensors in cages and data generated in feeding systems, data collection consists largely of cost-driving, manual activities. This can range from retrieving reports from proprietary systems that are then loaded into the company's central database, reading data from one screen and entering it into the system on another, or, in the worst case, performing manual measurements despite the fact that there are already installed sensors that could do the job automatically.
Optimal, fact-driven business processes require data standardization and centralization. This involves integrating systems from multiple vendors and making them work seamlessly together, with core principles such as “single source of truth” and “record data only once.” These principles are intended to ensure that only one, correct version of the data exists in the organization’s systems, while at the same time ensuring that the data is accessible to everyone who needs it.
Open standards that meet the specific needs of the aquaculture industry are essential to achieving this goal. When sensor and system suppliers base their interfaces on the AquaCloud Sensor Data Standard, it will become much easier for both aquaculture companies and suppliers to build a good infrastructure that collects data across different technologies. This opens up the possibility that more comprehensive, detailed and high-quality data can be used both to improve existing reports and analyses, and not least completely new, innovative services.
The standard is based on another central standard for the Internet of Things (IoT) called UPC-UA. AquaCloud Data sensor Standard including semantic data model/information model and has guidelines for access control, system infrastructure and programming interface (API).
"We are now launching the first version of the standard that covers environmental sensors and feeding data from cages in the sea. It is very pleasing that more than 100 different companies have shown interest in working on the standard and that several key players have actively contributed to the content. At the same time as we expand the standard to cover more areas, we will in the future provide the necessary documentation and other support resources to help the standard be adopted in the industry," says Jørn Torsvik, project manager for AquaCloud.
AquaCloud is an industry collaboration for digitalization and standardization in aquaculture that was established by NCE Seafood together with several large and medium-sized aquaculture companies. AquaCloud works for data sharing and improved data quality through standardization in sensors, fish health and environmental measurements. The collaboration is open to all aquaculture farmers in Norway.
AquaCloud has been funded by contributors, Innovation Norway and from 2019 through SIVA's Ocean Innovation Norwegian Catapult Center.
The standard is available for download via our website: https://aquacloud.ai
For further information, contact:
Tomas Finnøy, project manager Sensor Data Standard, tel: 48 03 42 38 , email: tomas@aquacloud.ai
