Process control and artificial intelligence software for aquaculture

Abstract

Modern research and commercial aquaculture operations have begun to adopt new technologies, including computer control systems. Aquaculturists realize that by controlling the environmental conditions and system inputs (e.g. water, oxygen, temperature, feed rate and stocking density), physiological rates of cultured species and final process outputs (e.g. ammonia, pH and growth) can be regulated. These are exactly the kinds of practical measurements that will allow commercial aquaculture facilities to optimize their efficiency by reducing labor and utility costs. Anticipated benefits for aquaculture process control and artificial intelligence systems are: (1) increased process efficiency; (2) reduced energy and water losses; (3) reduced labor costs; (4) reduced stress and disease; (5) improved accounting; and (6) improved understanding of the process. This review explores the technologies and implementation of the technologies necessary for the development of computer intelligent management systems for enhanced commercial aquaculture production. Today’s artificial intelligence (AI) systems (i.e. expert systems and neural networks) offer the aquaculturist a proven methodology for implementing management systems that are both intuitive and inferential. There have been many successful commercial applications of AI (e.g. expert systems in cameras and automobiles). The major factors to consider in the design and purchase of process control and artificial intelligence software are functionality/intuitiveness, compatibility, flexibility, upgrade path, hardware requirements and cost. Of these, intuitiveness and compatibility are the most important. The software must be intuitive to the user or they will not use the system. Regarding compatibility, the manufacturer should be congruent with open architecture designs so that the chosen software is interchangeable with other software products.