Panoblu IR is the name of a new 360-degree camera for all-round visibility and recording during the day, at night, in poor lighting conditions or in fog. The idea came from an Austrian owner who wanted to have the transfer journey of his Cat recorded in its entirety and could not find a suitable device on the market. The 3D-printed carbon housing is roughly the size of a flat basketball and contains 2 terabytes of local memory as well as 14 HD cameras, 12 of which are equipped with infrared technology.
Real-time images enable a live stream, and Panoblu IR also saves panoramic videos in 8K for review, playback or export. A continuous panorama log is recorded, which can be indexed by time, location or event and reviewed later. The camera system does not require mechanical panning, aims to eliminate blind spots and allows instant zooming at the touch of a finger, true colour or thermal image views in 360 degrees as well as one-click recording and archiving.
Better situational awareness at sea
As the system provides a clear overview of external on-board events using complete film footage, it is also suitable for collision avoidance with thermal detection or for analysing (near) accidents and man-overboard (MOB) scenarios. Analysing precise moments of movement would improve the chances of rescue without manual camera control. According to Panoblu, AI-based detection support could be added in future updates.
Upgrade and compatibility
The RAD (Range Awareness Display) software upgrade shows live range displays from the waterline to the horizon. While conventional CPA (Closest Point of Approach) tools are based on prediction models, RAD is designed to provide an immediate visual reference, for example when manoeuvring in narrow harbours or anchoring in unfamiliar waters.
Manufactured in Malta, the unit can be seamlessly integrated into existing displays and networked systems via HTML5 interfaces in the on-board network. Panoblu can capture NMEA data for contextual overlays, with integration of radar and AIS overlays possible via third-party platforms or customised settings.
Panoblu IR is still in the prototype stage, the soft launch is aimed at system integrators, fleet managers, owner representatives and captains.
