Postgraduate research opportunities AI-driven adaptive learning in AR & VR environment for advanced ship crew training to enhance maritime safety

Safety is of paramount importance for ships in maritime transportation since more than 90% of world trading is performed by maritime transport. Due to the Globalisation and transport of goods, ships are getting bigger and faster, and more ships are operating in the sea space. This leads to a number of major accidents and incidents resulting in loss of lives, ships and environmental damage. Analysing the available literature, it becomes evident that humans have played a major role in past maritime accidents. The causes of more than 80% of accidents in maritime transportation are attributed to human factors.

In addition to technical requirements, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) established the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). STCW Convention aims to establish basic requirements for training, certification, and watchkeeping for seafarers internationally. However, ships have become more technologically advanced, complex, and autonomous due to the technology and demand, requiring a more skilled workforce and more advanced training.

Similarly, development in Information technology, computing and artificial intelligence have also started transforming education. In recent years, more advanced AI-based learning systems are gaining recognition due to their ability to deliver learning objectives/contents and adapt to students' individual needs. With digitalisation, autonomy, and communication systems, modern seafarers need to deal with the operation of the ships safely and manage all the data effectively. AI-based adaptive training systems and competency assessments will be able to identify gaps in seafarers’ knowledge and skills, and deliver personalised, targeted training programmes. However, while AI-Based adaptive learning methods are becoming popular for teaching, their implementation for workers' training, particularly seafarers, has not been explored yet. Furthermore, the COVID, which restricted people's movement, forced educators and training centres to adopt more innovative approaches to deliver the training and VR could become a real alternative for online remote training. However, this area requires significant research and development, and AI will revolutionise the tailored training to improve the performance of the seafarers in a time and cost-effective manner.

The PhD project, which is jointly funded by the University of Strathclyde, Intelligent Seas Ltd and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), aims to enhance maritime safety through advanced training approaches by developing AI-based adaptive learning in AR and VR environments to develop and deliver tailored training for individual crew.

The successful candidate will join the Maritime Human Factors Centre which provides a collegiate, vibrant, and welcoming environment with advanced simulator facilities.

The successful candidate will be supervised jointly by the academics from the Maritime Human Factors Centre and the Department of Computer & Information Science. Research findings will be published in high-impact journals with the opportunity to present at international conferences.