- Commander Matt Mitchell, a former USCG Officer, is determined to make sure all Search and Rescue authorities worldwide adopt Zelim’s ZOE Intelligent Detection system to save more lives at sea
For those tasked with search and rescue operations around the world, the sobering reality is that current technologies are not up to the task. The use of older sensor technologies, inconsistencies in human searching, and a lack of fully integrated planning tools have all contributed to a grim statistic – as few as 19% of search and rescue responses involving persons in the water result in a life saved.
It’s a problem that has plagued the maritime industry for decades, says Matthew Mitchell, a former US Coast Guard officer. “The core challenge we face is that search and rescue authorities simply don’t have the tools to detect and track persons in the water effectively,” he says.
During his 20-year career with the US Coast Guard, Mitchell oversaw the development of the service’s search and rescue planning systems. This role gave him a unique perspective on the industry’s longstanding struggles.
“Out of the 20 different sensor types used by the Coast Guard today, we can only reliably integrate three of them into effective search plans,” he says. “The performance of new sensor technology in different environments, with different search objects, is just not well understood.”
This lack of knowledge about sensor capabilities is compounded by the inherent variability of the human observer, which remains the primary means of detecting people in the water during search and rescue operations.
“We’ve poured millions into studying the capabilities of the human eye, but it’s still an inconsistent and unreliable tool,” Mitchell laments. “When you couple that with the challenges of operating in rough seas, with poor visibility, and other harsh conditions, you end up with a recipe for disaster.”
Tragic consequences
The tragic consequences of these limitations are borne out in real-world incidents. Mitchell cites the tragic incident in March 2009 when a four-person crew whose small fishing boat capsized 70 miles off the US coast. All four were wearing flotation devices.
“Rescue teams flew over them numerous times, but they couldn’t detect the survivors in the water,” he recounts. “Three of the four people ended up perishing, with only one survivor left to tell the harrowing tale.”
Stories like this drove Mitchell to leave the US Coast Guard and join forces with Zelim, a company he had first encountered years earlier at a maritime safety conference in the UK.
Mitchell, who now serves as the Director of Search and Rescue for Zelim’s US and Asia-Pacific operations, believes that the widespread adoption of Zelim’s AI-powered ZOE detection and tracking system will completely change the way persons in water are detected, ultimately saving more lives at sea.
“I was immediately impressed by the passion and vision of Zelim’s founders, Sam Mayall and Doug Lothian, as well as the calibre of the team they were assembling,” he recalls. “And when I learned about their breakthrough technology, ZOE, I knew I had to be a part of it.”
ZOE is an AI-powered detection system representing a quantum leap forward in man overboard monitoring and response. Unlike traditional sensor systems that rely on the human observer, the Zelim technology utilizes advanced computer vision and machine learning algorithms to continuously scan the water around a vessel, instantly detecting signs of a person in distress. It differentiates persons in water from other objects, such as seabirds, buoys, small craft, reflections on the water, flotsam, and jetsam.
“ZOE doesn’t get tired, it doesn’t get distracted, and it doesn’t have the inherent variability of a human searcher,” Mitchell explains. “It can detect a person in the water with pinpoint accuracy, even in challenging conditions like rough seas or when visibility is poor. And crucially, it can do this 24/7, providing a constant vigilance that isn’t possible with other systems that rely on human-in-the-loop observation.”
Rescue precision
But ZOE’s capabilities go beyond active searching for distressed persons – it can be applied to actively monitor for persons falling overboard.
“With ZOE, we know the precise time and location of the man overboard event,” Mitchell says. “That gives us a fighting chance to get there in time and make the rescue. Time is a crucially important factor in the safe and successful recovery man overboard casualties.”
ZOE can be fully integrated with advanced planning and response tools, allowing search and rescue teams to deploy assets to the exact incident location rapidly.
Mitchell cites another tragic case he was involved with, where a Ukrainian sailor went overboard and was not detected for nearly six hours.
“By that point, the search area was so massive that the chances of finding him alive were almost impossible,” he says. “With ZOE, we could have pinpointed the exact location and had search assets on the scene much more rapidly, dramatically increasing the chances of survival.”
Recognizing the transformative potential of ZOE, Mitchell was determined to get the technology into the hands of the US Coast Guard, the organization he had served for over two decades.
“As the chief of policy for Coast Guard search and rescue, I had a unique vantage point on the challenges they were facing,” he explains. “I knew that ZOE could be a game-changer, not just for the US Coast Guard, but for search and rescue authorities worldwide.”
USCG validation
To that end, Mitchell facilitated a cooperative research and development agreement between Zelim and the US Coast Guard to thoroughly test and validate ZOE’s capabilities for real-world search and rescue operations.
“The US Coast Guard, like many other agencies, was struggling to integrate modern sensor technologies into their planning tools,” Mitchell says. “The Zelim system represented a solution to that problem, and I was determined to prove its worth.”
Through the R&D partnership, Mitchell worked closely with US Coast Guard personnel to collect data, conduct simulations, and refine ZOE’s algorithms to ensure it could seamlessly integrate with the service’s existing systems and workflows.
“It was a collaborative effort, but one that I was deeply invested in,” he recalls. “I knew that if we could get ZOE adopted by the US Coast Guard, it would open the door to widespread implementation worldwide.”
Mitchell’s persistence paid off. After extensive testing and evaluation, the US Coast Guard recognized the potential of this transformative technology for the Service’s lifesaving mission, paving the way for its integration into its operations.
“The feedback from the US Coast Guard was overwhelmingly positive,” Mitchell says. “They recognized that ZOE’s precision detection and rapid response capabilities could save countless lives at sea.”
SAR adoption
With the US Coast Guard’s affirmation, Mitchell’s focus has now shifted to driving the adoption of Zelim’s safety solutions beyond the US, tapping into his extensive global network of search and rescue contacts.
“My goal is to get ZOE into the hands of search and rescue authorities worldwide,” he declares. “This technology has the potential to revolutionize the industry, and I’m determined to make that a reality.”
To that end, Mitchell is leading Zelim’s efforts to establish a dedicated presence in the US, recruiting a diverse team of experts to liaise with government agencies, maritime operators, and other key stakeholders.
“We’ll need a physical office, likely in the Maryland or Virginia area, to support the growing number of US-based contracts and operations,” he explains. “And it’s not just about the technical side – we also need to have the right people in place to effectively communicate the value of ZOE to a wide range of potential customers.”
As the maritime world continues to grapple with persistent safety and security challenges, Mitchell is confident that Zelim’s technology holds the key to a safer, more secure future at sea.
“This is the biggest breakthrough in search and rescue since the advent of search theory back in 1946,” he declares. “ZOE has the potential to completely transform how we detect, respond to, and ultimately save the lives of those who find themselves in peril on the open water. It’s a game-changer, plain and simple.”
With Zelim’s innovative solutions the search and rescue community may finally have the tools to end this longstanding crisis. For those whose lives hang in the balance, that could make all the difference.
