Recently, Metaspectral received funding as part of the smartEarth Canadian Space Agency initiative to build a method to systematically and methodically quantify the carbon dioxide (CO2) levels present at ground-elevation using hyperspectral data.
Metaspectral has created a hybrid on-premise and cloud-based software platform that is used in a variety of industries to identify materials and their characteristics that are otherwise invisible. Preliminary analysis of the data that is captured by satellites and processed using the platform has been shown to accurately measure global carbon emissions within a 3% margin of error.
Accurate, real-time data on GHG levels on the Earth’s surface has a multitude of potential applications that include environmental monitoring (soils, forests, sea ice levels, and more), and can also help to measure emissions from oil and gas pipelines, leaks from deepwater drilling activity, and monitor for other hazards.
This project is being undertaken with the financial support of the Canadian Space Agency. Metaspectral is currently hiring deep learning engineers and scientists, remote sensing scientists, and full-stack engineers. A full list of available positions is available at Metaspectral.com.
“Reaching our climate goals will require access to the best available data on emissions levels. Our technology makes it possible to track and measure carbon emissions and carbon sequestration levels at Earth’s surface,” said Metaspectral Co-founder and CTO, Migel Tissera. “We achieve this by analyzing hyperspectral satellite imagery, which contains data from across the electromagnetic spectrum, making it possible to identify and quantify the gasses present. Climate change is the most serious threat facing humanity. Many governments, including the Canadian government, have introduced pricing mechanisms for carbon emissions. This technology will make it possible to provide both the public and private sectors with the insights needed to adjust their environmental and climate change policies and plans, as well as reap the potential economic benefits of carbon credits.”
Additionally, Metaspectral and HySpeed Computing to develop an EO payload for the ISS.
The payload is known as Onboard Programmable Technology for Image Classification and Analysis (OPTICA) and will enable real-time compression, streaming and analysis of hyperspectral data from LEO.
OPTICA is scheduled for launch in early 2023 on the SpaceX CRS-27 mission, with a six-month deployment on the ISS following soon thereafter. The mission is sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory, which works in collaboration with NASA to use the orbiting laboratory on the ISS to its fullest research and technology development potential.
Hyperspectral imagery captured by satellites contains data from across the electromagnetic spectrum which, when analyzed with artificial intelligence (AI), can be used to quickly identify events on the Earth such as forest fires, methane leaks, and oil spills. It can also provide crucial time-sensitive data to intelligence, surveillance, or reconnaissance missions.
Metaspectral’s software is used in a variety of industries to identify materials, their chemical composition, and other invisible properties. Metaspectral will be providing the hardware and software for the payload, with HySpeed Computing being responsible for creating the necessary data processing pipeline and analysis tools.
Metaspectral and HySpeed Computing have selected Nanoracks to serve as the implementation partner for the project, providing infrastructure and operations support using the Nanoracks External Platform (NREP) for payload hosting onboard the ISS.
“The quality and quantity of imagery captured in space have been continuously increasing yet the bandwidth available to downlink it to Earth for analysis has been doing so at a much slower rate. Our technology makes it possible to bypass bandwidth constraints with our advances in data compression and machine learning. This project will demonstrate our platform’s ability to produce actionable insights within 15 minutes or less,” said Francis Doumet, Metaspectral Co-Founder & CEO. “Great strides have been made with optical intersatellite links in increasing the reliability of satellite communications, and our technology complements this by bringing in advanced data compression and streaming for hyperspectral data from orbit.”
“OPTICA represents the next evolution in space- and ground-based image processing,” said Dr. James Goodman, CEO of HySpeed Computing. “As the volume, variety, and velocity of Earth observation data continue to increase, developing efficiencies in data processing and information delivery will be paramount throughout the remote sensing industry. OPTICA addresses this need by demonstrating the ability to acquire rapidly, process, and analyze imagery from a high-data-volume hyperspectral sensor.”
Metaspectral delivers the next generation of computer vision, capable of remotely identifying materials and determining their chemical composition, defects, and other properties otherwise invisible to conventional cameras. It achieves this by leveraging hyperspectral sensors and analyzing the data captured in real-time using artificial intelligence (AI), via its scalable, cloud-based platform. The software is already deployed in a range of industries including aerospace, defence, agriculture, manufacturing, and more. Learn more: https://metaspectral.com/