UMITRON Significantly Upgrades AI in Smart Feeder “UMITRON CELL”
~ Advanced Fish Activity Analysis for Greater Feed Efficiency and Enhanced Smart Aquaculture ~
UMITRON PTE. LTD. (Location: Singapore, Co-founder / President Masahiko Yamada) has announced a major update to the AI functionality of its smart feeder “UMITRON CELL.” The update significantly enhances the algorithm of its core AI system, the Fish Appetite Index (FAI), along with the control system that governs feeding operations.
With this update, the system can now quantify fish feeding behavior with higher accuracy, enabling customized feeding control tailored to individual producers, fish species, and farm environments. The result is greater feed efficiency, reduced labor burden, and continued support for the sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry.
Key Features of the Update:
UMITRON’s proprietary FAI system uses video data captured by cameras mounted on UMITRON CELL devices to analyze fish activity in real time. The AI system automatically adjusts both the amount and speed of feed based on this analysis, replacing traditional human observation methods with AI-driven precision. This innovation helps minimize feed waste while also reducing manual workload.
The latest update includes the following major enhancements:
Custom AI Modeling: The system now supports adaptive modeling based on fish species, environmental conditions, and specific producer requirements. It can also account for unusual events such as floating dead fish, enabling even more precise feeding decisions.
・Improved Feeding Stop Detection:
The AI’s ability to detect when fish are no longer actively feeding (i.e., not visible at the surface) has been significantly improved. This contributes to further reduction of unnecessary feed and associated costs.
Image of feeding video acquired from a camera mounted on UMITRON CELL
Nationwide Remote Update Deployed to All UMITRON CELL Units in Japan – 78% Now Utilizing AI Feeding Control
The FAI update has been remotely and freely deployed to all UMITRON CELL devices in use across Japan, requiring no hardware replacement or on-site work. This seamless upgrade enables Japanese aquaculture farmers to benefit from the latest AI technology without additional effort.
Following the update, the adoption rate of FAI-based AI feeding increased from 56% to 78.1%. Many users who had previously relied mainly on monitoring functions have now transitioned to AI-powered automatic feeding control.
UMITRON remains committed to continuous improvement, incorporating user feedback into future developments. In the current fiscal year, UMITRON plans to introduce new features to further enhance the user experience in feed setting and automation—driving the realization of next-generation smart aquaculture.
AI-powerd Smart Feeder “UMITRON CELL” in Japan farm site
Also see more information about FAI in our August 2019 press release announcing the initial launch of the service:
https://pr-en.umitron.com/post/186989478196/fai
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we’ve developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and A.I. technology. We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection.
Umitron Selected for JAXA Space Strategy Fund Project "Feasibility Study on Overseas Demonstration of Satellite Data Utilization System"
Umitron K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Ken Fujiwara, hereinafter referred to as Umitron) has been selected as the implementing organization for the "Feasibility Study on Overseas Demonstration of Satellite Data Utilization System" in the FY2024 Space Strategy Fund Project publicly solicited by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The technical development theme is "Demonstration of marine spatial planning and monitoring platform for aquaculture industry development," and the project is scheduled to be undertaken until the end of FY2026.
Umitron has been working on creating potential maps that support the selection of suitable locations for aquaculture products such as algae and marine spatial planning using satellite data and AI, as well as supporting the promotion of the aquaculture industry and adaptation to climate change through marine monitoring. Through this fund project, Umitron aims to further strengthen public-private partnerships, develop the blue economy including the aquaculture industry, and expand the market for solutions using satellite data. We welcome inquiries from domestic and international organizations, including emerging blue economy regions in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, that are interested in developing solutions using satellite data, such as selection of suitable locations for blue carbon ecosystems and aquaculture, and marine monitoring in collaboration with public institutions.
■ Purpose and Overview of the Space Strategy Fund
Based on the basic policy and implementation policy of the Space Strategy Fund formulated by the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, this project supports private companies and universities, including startups, to boldly engage in technical development over multiple years (up to 10 years) on technology development themes set by each ministry, referring to the technology items extracted in the space technology strategy, towards the three goals of "Expanding the space market," "- Solving global and social issues," and "pioneering frontier" in the three fields of "Spave transportation," "satellites," and "Space exploration."
Space Strategy Fund Website: https://fund.jaxa.jp/
Details in English: https://fund.jaxa.jp/content/uploads/Overview_of_The_SpaceStrategy_Fund.pdf
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we’ve developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and A.I. technology. We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection.
Umitron launches FARM - A Comprehensive Production and Cost Management Service for Aquaculture Businesses
Prepared by: Umitron Pte. Ltd. (location: Singapore, President: Masahiko Yamada) and UMITRON K.K. (location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, President: Ken Fujiwara)
(Both companies hereinafter referred to as ‘UMITRON’)
UMITRON is excited to announce the launch of FARM, a revolutionary cloud-based service designed to streamline production and cost management for aquaculture businesses. It is available to all fish producers globally, regardless of the scale or type of their production operation, and can be used with feeders such as CELL or independently for farms that do not currently have feeders. FARM has already received high praise as a production management tool from its early-stage users across the globe, who are using different production setups and farming a diverse range of species.
Background
UMITRON has always been at the forefront of developing products and services with the vision of establishing sustainable aquaculture practices for producers, consumers, and the global environment.
In recent years, rising raw material costs in aquaculture have highlighted the urgent need for accurate cost and growth efficiency management. The current method of using physical or digital spreadsheets to track farming operations—from fry placement to shipping—further complicates the process, often making cost calculations cumbersome and slow. UMITRON’s first-hand interactions with producers to hear these challenges motivated them to develop a product to address them.
With FARM, the company aims to enhance the sustainability of aquaculture management by providing a clear and straightforward understanding of costs and production efficiency at the production site.
Product Overview
FARM is an intuitive cloud service that simplifies the management of costs and growth efficiency in aquaculture. The system provides comprehensive information essential for managing fish growth, including feeding amounts and drug dosing. By tracking daily fish growth data, FARM calculates management costs and automates feed conversion, offering aquaculture businesses precise insights into their operations.
Subscribers using UMITRON’s smart feeder, CELL, benefit from seamless data integration. Feeding amounts are automatically recorded in FARM, thus reducing the burden of manual data tracking. The service is accessible on a dedicated mobile application and desktop browsers via a weblink, enabling users to monitor and manage fish growth data anytime, anywhere—at sea or on land.
FARM offers the following features:
Daily tracking of essential data at aquaculture sites, including feeding rates, drug doses, and water temperature.
Comprehensive fish management capabilities include ponding, splitting, consolidation, and associated cost calculations.
Calculations for costs for each pen and on a per-fish basis, including feed conversion ratios (FCR) based on recorded data.
Seamless data integration with UMITRON CELL, our smart feeding machine.
Ability to download all data in Excel and CSV formats.
Access to PULSE, a high-resolution ocean environmental monitoring platform using satellite remote sensing and UMITRON’s algorithms.
Subscribers to FARM will also get complimentary access to all the paid features of PULSE, allowing them to check critical environmental variables such as temperature and dissolved oxygen and monitor the 48-hour forecast for potential risk factors contributing to adverse events such as harmful algal blooms. They can also take advantage of the two-year historical datasets and custom alerts at no additional costs.
UMITRON is committed to continuously improving FARM, incorporating feedback from our partners, and integrating with our AI-powered fish measurement system, LENS, and other third-party fish measurement cameras.
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and A.I. technology. We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection.
Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.
Turning the tide to improve blue carbon mapping: Umitron’s latest project unveiled on Nippon Television’s Programme!
Prepared by: UMITRON K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Ken Fujiwara; hereinafter referred to as ‘UMITRON’)
UMITRON is excited to announce the completion of a collaboration project in Miura Peninsula, Japan, using the company's advanced AI expertise to map eelgrass beds in the region. This groundbreaking project was recently featured on Nippon Television's (hereinafter 'NTV') The News Program, ”Bankisha!”, broadcast every Sunday at 6 pm. The segment aired on 21 July 2024, highlighting the collaboration between the programme's primary anchor, Taichi Masu from Doshisha University and Takashi Kimura, the Director of the Association for Shore Creation.
Project Overview
Eelgrass beds are underwater meadows usually found in shallow coastal areas and estuaries. They form the basis of a highly productive marine food web, playing a crucial role in the marine ecosystem and providing various benefits to aquatic and human life.
Eelgrass beds support a high diversity of marine life and serve as nurseries, offering shelter and food to juvenile fish and other invertebrates. Their roots and rhizomes stabilise and trap sediment, reducing the impact of wave energy and resulting erosion and helping to maintain water clarity. Their ability to photosynthesise also produces oxygen and stores greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, allowing them to act as carbon sinks.
Unfortunately, these vital habitats are fast declining due to climate change and human activities such as urban development and pollution, and there is an increasing urgency to better understand and conserve these areas. With Umitron's mission to use its technical expertise to benefit aquaculture and to conserve and restore marine ecosystems, embarking on this collaborative project was a natural step forward.
Collaborative Efforts and Methodology
Utilising aerial photographs from 2005 and 2024 provided by Director Kimura and NTV, Umitron employed advanced AI image analysis technology to detect and map eelgrass beds with high precision. This method allowed for a rapid and accurate assessment of the current state of these critical habitats.
The company is familiar with this area of development. It has previously used satellite imagery and ocean models to create seaweed bed maps in Kami-Amakusa City, employing in-situ verification methods to ensure the accuracy of the AI-generated results. However, this project was the first for UMITRON since it relied solely on aerial photographs and remote development. The result was an eelgrass map generated based on areas with clearly visible and identifiable eelgrass beds from selected areas as the training data.
This process is not without its drawbacks since it will be unable to detect submerged eelgrass beds below the surface of the water. Director Kimura has also commented that any results will likely be an underestimation of the actual habitat. Despite this, the resulting maps clearly illustrated a significant decline in the extent of eelgrass beds from 2005 to 2024.
Significant Findings
For example, at Miura Beach, eelgrass beds thriving in 2005 (indicated in red) had vanished by 2024.
Comparison of Miura Beach (Upper: Images processed by Umitron based on aerial photographs, Lower: Images after AI detection of eelgrass)
Conversely, healthy eelgrass beds were established at Yokohama Bayside Marina, where conservation efforts are ongoing.
Comparison of Yokohama Bayside Marina (Upper: Images processed by Umitron based on aerial photographs, Lower: Images after AI detection of eelgrass)
These images, unveiled on The News Program, ”Bankisha!”, on 21 July 2024, effectively highlighted the current state and importance of these ecosystems to viewers. Following the broadcast, Anchor Masu commented, "Accurately understanding the current state is the first step in protecting eelgrass beds. The analysis results by UMITRON reminded me that the ocean, which is difficult to reach by human hands and eyes, demonstrates the potential of leveraging the latest science and technology, including AI and satellite data, to safeguard our oceans."
Future Prospects
Umitron is committed to advancing technologies that enable precise assessments of eelgrass beds, seaweed habitats and other carbon sinks that comprise the blue carbon ecosystem. By offering tools for conservation planning and biomass assessment, Umitron aims to make substantial contributions to marine environmental conservation. Local community involvement at the grassroots level with residents and organisations will also be essential in driving effective blue carbon conservation efforts.
Umitron highly encourages parties interested in conserving or the spatial planning of blue carbon ecosystems or other related spatial planning projects to contact the company via the contact information listed below.
Related Press Releases
Umitron Takes Its Satellite Remote Sensing Technologies to New Depths With Its Latest Blue Carbon Project.：https://pr-en.umitron.com/post/715079001617661952/bluecarbon
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and A.I. technology. We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection.
Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.
Prepared by: UMITRON K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Ken Fujiwara; hereinafter referred to as ‘UMITRON’)
UMITRON is thrilled to officially announce the expansion of its seafood arm, bringing sustainably farmed fish to consumers across the United States. This initiative aligns with the company’s mission to raise consumer awareness about sustainably farmed seafood and create additional stable sales channels for aquaculture partners leveraging UMITRON’s advanced technology.
Image credit: Hannah Guthman
In December 2023, UMITRON hosted an exclusive tasting event at the renowned Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub in San Diego, California. Attended by approximately 20 local chefs and seafood industry professionals, the event provided valuable insights into the needs and preferences of the US market. What followed was a collaboration with an American seafood wholesaler to develop robust sales channels, ensuring a reliable supply of fresh Japanese fish to US restaurants.
Since Japanese farms have a strong focus on quality over quantity, it’s challenging to meet US consumer demand with weekly harvests from a single farm. To address this, UMITRON began sourcing and shipping fish from its network of partner producers and processors. This strategy has effectively reduced costs and carbon emissions while enhancing the efficiency of the supply chain. Currently, UMITRON exports a variety of fresh fish, including Madai (Japanese Red Sea Bream), Buri (Yellowtail), Shima-aji (Striped Jack), and Kampachi (Great Amberjack), to the United States three times a week.
Looking ahead, UMITRON aims to:
Enhance collaborations: Strengthen its partnerships with producers and processors to ensure a consistent supply of premium-quality seafood that is more sustainably farmed.
Diversify offerings: Expand the product range available for export, bringing a wider selection of high-quality Japanese-farmed fish to the US market.
Boost visibility: Utilise social media and other digital channels to increase consumer awareness and appreciation of Japanese-farmed fish, effectively broadening the brand’s market reach.
Promote sustainability: Continue promoting sustainable farming practices and contribute to the global aquaculture industry’s efforts toward environmental stewardship.
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and A.I. technology. We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection.
Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.
Umitron's Satellite Monitoring System Gives Japanese Aquaculture A Digital Boost
Prepared by: UMITRON K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Ken Fujiwara; hereinafter referred to as ‘UMITRON’)
Ehime Prefecture, renowned for its picturesque natural beauty and thriving aquaculture industry, has selected UMITRON for a project to integrate its buoys into PULSE, a cutting-edge satellite monitoring tool that caters to production-centric environmental parameters. This integration is a part of the FY2022 Ehime Prefecture Digital Implementation Acceleration Project, - TRY ANGLE EHIME -.
As one of the prominent primary production regions in Japan, the Ehime government has implemented several buoys in the surrounding areas to monitor the conditions and provide farmers with critical data. However, disseminating this information to farmers was a significant challenge. To address this issue, Ehime Prefecture sought the expertise of UMITRON, the creator of PULSE.
PULSE is an advanced satellite monitoring tool aggregating data from over 30 satellites and open-source data for crucial ocean parameters, such as dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, salinity, wave height, and water temperature. It enables users to view historical data of up to two years and forecast data of up to 48 hours for their site.
UMITRON engineers integrated the buoys into the PULSE platform, allowing farmers in Ehime to access comprehensive data from multiple sources, including local buoys, entirely free of charge. This comprehensive data insight empowers farmers to make better-informed decisions about feeding, treatment, and asset protection in the event of inclement weather. Ultimately, it will enable them to achieve more with less.
"UMITRON PULSE now can integrate various ocean environment data and provides one-stop access to ocean environmental data, which typically are stored and hosted at multiple websites and less accessible for farmers for daily uses.," said Ken Fujiwara, UMITRON's co-founder and CEO. "We plan to add more local data by collaborating with local governments and public research institutes."
Try Angle Ehime is geared towards facilitating the digital transformation of the aquaculture industry. This collaboration between Ehime Prefecture and UMITRON marks a significant milestone in achieving that objective.
For more information on the Ehime Prefecture Digital Implementation Acceleration Project’s Try Angle Ehime, please visit their website at https://dx-ehime.jp/.
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and A.I. technology. We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection.
Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.
Umitron Seafood Continues Its Journey Into International Waters
UMITRON PTE. LTD. (Location: Singapore, Co-founder/President Masahiko Yamada, hereinafter UMITRON), a leading provider of technology solutions for the aquaculture industry, is excited to announce the launch of its seafood brand in Singapore in partnership with Chef Shusuke Kubota from Omakase at Stevens. This partnership will bring Umitron’s sustainably farmed Japanese red sea bream to local consumers via a carefully crafted limited-time menu (available until 15 June 2023 only) that is guaranteed to be a gastronomical delight.
The company, which has been a pioneer in developing cutting-edge solutions to support aquaculture producers, is now taking its commitment to environmental stewardship to the next level by teaming up with the renowned chef to showcase the delicious possibilities of more sustainably-farmed seafood.
With the global demand for sustainable seafood on the rise, Umitron is poised to make a significant impact in the industry by offering high-quality, responsibly sourced seafood products to customers around the world. The company's innovative technology solutions, which include advanced AI and data analytics solutions, have been instrumental in helping farms to achieve a more sustainable production footprint and reducing the environmental impact of the seafood industry.
"Since Chef Ishii, who has been working with us on sustainable seafood activities in Japan, introduced us to Chef Kubota, we have been talking about doing something together in Singapore someday," said Masahiko Yamada, Co-founder of Umitron. "Chef Kubota creates magic with seasonal Japanese ingredients to create dishes that are loved by everyone in the diverse city of Singapore. Awareness of the need for sustainable seafood is still low, but we believe that by exposing people to the background along with the excitement of the cuisine, it will be more memorable for consumers."
Chef Shusuke, who has been praised for his innovative approach to Japanese cuisine, is excited to be working with Umitron to showcase the delicious possibilities of sustainable seafood in Singapore. "I was introduced to Umitron through Chef Ishii of Sincère, and I was very impressed when I heard about Umitron's technology. It was beyond my imagination that such remarkable technologies exist, and AI can feed fish based on their hunger levels and reduce the amount of feed wasted based on video and satellite data analysis," said Chef Shusuke. "Such technologies are great for farmers and the environment. For the consumer, eating sustainably-farmed seafood produced in this way is also good for the future. I wanted to be part of this process of advocating for more sustainable and marine protection-focused seafood choices."
Moving forward, Umitron is committed to bringing this seafood action to the global community, connecting stakeholders across the entire aquaculture value chain with consumers who want options that protect the oceans of tomorrow. With Asia as a starting point, the team wants to work with like-minded organizations to accelerate this initiative and roll it out to other parts of the world.
The company is currently looking for partners who are interested in food sustainability and taking action to push the aquaculture industry forward and towards more environmentally friendly seafood choices. If you belong to an organization eager to join this wave of change with us, please contact us at [email protected].
For more information about Umitron and its sustainable seafood brand, please visit https://www.umitosachi.umitron.com/.
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and A.I. technology. We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection.
Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.
Nestled in a bustling area along Stevens Road in Singapore, Omakase at Stevens is a contemporary Kappo restaurant using Japanese and French techniques to create a delicious and visually stunning culinary experience with the freshest and high-quality seasonal Japanese ingredients.
Omakase website: https://www.omakase.com.sg/
About Executive Chef Shusuke Kubota
Hailing from the city of Nagano and a graduate of the prestigious Tsuji Culinary Institute, Executive Chef Shusuke Kubota brings years of world-class culinary experience and knowledge to the palates of diners at Omakase@Stevens. Having apprenticed at renowned restaurants in France and Japan, Chef Kubota strives to use his Japanese roots and influences of French cooking techniques and style to tantalise all five senses with a wide selection of daily specials presented in their true form.
Umitron Takes Its Satellite Remote Sensing Technologies to New Depths With Its Latest Blue Carbon Project.
Under the direction of the Japanese Cabinet Office's FY2022 Advanced Satellite Remote Sensing Data Application Model Demonstration Project for Problem Solving, Umitron was able to utilise its technology services to complete a "Blue Carbon Potential Evaluation Project Demonstration" and ground-truth a method that's the first of its kind that can now be applied to other similar global projects for national carbon accounting and planning.
UMITRON K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Ken Fujiwara; hereinafter referred to as "Umitron") recently expanded its A.I. and remote sensing capabilities, creating a cost and labour-efficient methodology to identify and map existing and future blue carbon sinks that can be scalable across large coastal regions.
Background
Blue carbon is the carbon that is captured and stored in marine and coastal ecosystems. These include mangroves, seagrass meadows and salt marshes that act as 'carbon sinks', able to sequester (aka "take in") and store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests. Earlier studies by Duart et al. (2005) also showed that they could store carbon at a faster rate up -to 40 times- than their terrestrial counterparts and have been gaining recognition for their role in mitigating the effects of climate change. In 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC announced that our oceans and coasts could absorb and store up to 50 million tonnes of CO2 annually, proving that nature can play a more central role in climate change mitigation. Also hailed as the "cradle of the sea", coastal ecosystems are rich in biodiversity and serve as vital spawning grounds and nursery habitats for many species. Healthy coastal ecosystems also provide numerous other benefits, such as protection from weather events like tsunamis and food security for communities worldwide.
Local Japanese governments are keen on increasing the use of blue carbon and are now considering how it can effect positive change in the nation. While many coastal regions in Japan exhibit high potential to generate blue carbon credits that could be traded in the future, it was a challenge to determine (with accuracy) the areas where seaweed beds and seagrass currently thrive and where new growth activities may be unlocked. Field surveys have previously been used to identify blue carbon sinks but were deemed unrealistic from a time, labour and cost perspective and would also be challenging to scale up to larger coastal zones. This resource constraint ultimately led to insufficient information available for coastal planning purposes.
As such, Umitron collaborated with ENEOS Holdings Inc. and Kamiamakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture, and with support from the Japanese Cabinet Office, use its technology and satellite remote sensing capabilities to develop a service to assess the blue carbon potential in coastal areas, a method that less labour intensive, inexpensive and scalable for wider zones.
Umitron's approach to mapping and identifying blue carbon sinks
Umitron's strength lies in A.I. and satellite remote sensing, and the company has created a method using satellite data to identify existing seaweed and seagrass beds along Japan's coast. The resulting data is then used to estimate the amount of potential blue carbon accumulation and create a map identifying new areas for growth.
The method:
A limited coastal area is surveyed and sampled to identify the target species.
The growth conditions of the target species are determined and learned by applying Umitron's bespoke A.I. algorithms to the survey data.
The A.I. is then applied to satellite images of the entire coastal region for each local municipality in Japan to estimate the areas where the target species grow and thrive.
The resulting data is then used to estimate the amount of blue carbon accumulated in those areas and to identify new sites for creating new carbon sinks.
For this project, UMITRON surveyed eelgrass beds in Kamiamakusa City, producing a municipality-wide eelgrass map, an estimate of the accumulated blue carbon in the area and a potential growth map. This data and the resulting maps can be used for future municipal planning and accelerating public-private partnerships with companies interested in blue carbon projects.
For related inquiries
Umitron is keen on working with global public organisations and private entities interested in blue carbon projects. For parties interested in using our A.I. and satellite remote sensing services to survey and map existing and new blue carbon sink areas, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at [email protected]
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and A.I. technology.We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection. Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.
Umitron takes its sustainable seafood brand global with a rebranding exercise.
UMITRON K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-Ku, Tokyo, Representative: Ken Fujiwara, hereafter UMITRON) has recently announced a rebrand of the consumer arm of its business, a move that reflects its redefined strategy to expand globally beyond Japan and also to reiterate its mission to promote global sustainable seafood products farmed using technology.
Previously Umi to Sachi, the new brand name now follows the parent company's name, UMITRON. The alignment of brand names is a better fit for the company's mission to create awareness for sustainably farmed products using technology and also serves as a call to action to its partners and aquaculture stakeholders to adopt more sustainable practices along the value chain.
The new brand identity was unveiled this week, featuring:
New logo:
※ Left: English logo, right: Japanese logo
New brand tagline: 'Seafood Farmed S.M.A.R.T.' is an acronym reflecting the company's 5 pillars of its commitment to consumers:
Sustainable
Sustainability is our mission and ultimate goal, and we want to support the industry to produce more efficiently to meet global food security demands without compromising our marine resources.
Marine protection driven
One of our goals is to help aquaculture farms to co-exist with nature. Using high-tech farming methods helps reduces unnecessary feed wastage that would otherwise pollute the surrounding waters. Shifting food production towards farmed versus caught can also help to protect wild stocks from being overfished.
AI-powered production
The products under this brand are farmed using high-tech methods powered by AI. These bespoke algorithms allow us to feed fish with high precision based on their behaviours and appetites1.
Reduced carbon footprint
In a world striving for carbon neutrality, we’ve created solutions for farmers that have helped them reduce their overall farming footprint2. We aim to expand this to multiple species and make this information available to consumers. In doing so, we want to empower them to be more proactive in environmental protection via their purchasing choices.
Traceable
Our technology solutions allow us to obtain a traceable product from farm to table, and we believe that being open and transparent about the farming story will enable consumers to better understand the origins of their purchases.
New website: https://www.umitosachi.umitron.com/
■ About UMITRON
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and AI technology. We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine conservation and protection. Ultimately, we aim to realize our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.
The consumer-facing side of the business (previously Umi to Sachi') has been operating since 25 November 2020, providing consumers with sustainable seafood farmed using AI technology. These products were made available through various sales channels, such as major supermarkets, hotels and restaurant chains in Japan.
Related links: https://umitron.com/en/index.html
References:
1: Umitron’s AI-based products
Umitron Remora - AI-based feeding optimization and mortality estimation to large-scale farms
https://pr-en.umitron.com/post/682558508122718208/remora
Umitron’s foray into reducing the carbon footprint of aquaculture production
UMITRON K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-Ku, Tokyo, Representative: Ken Fujiwara, hereafter UMITRON) recently assessed the environmental footprint of their ASC-certified red sea bream sold under their sustainability brand, Umi to Sachi. The life cycle assessment (*1) measured greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced across the product's value chain, from raw material procurement to end-use and disposal. The analysis also showed that Umitron Cell, Umitron's AI-powered smart feeder, reduced feed-related GHG emissions by 20% compared to conventional automatic feeders.
Details of the life cycle assessment
■ GHG emissions produced during the life cycle of Umi to Sachi's ASC certified red sea bream (per 100g of product)
The life cycle assessment (*1) showed that GHG emissions of Umi to Sachi's ASC-certified red sea bream were approximately 1,048g CO2 eq per 100 g of product (*2). The analysis results also showed that procurement of raw materials, mainly for fish feed, accounted for more than 80% of the product's total GHG emissions.
(*1) A method to assess the environmental impact of a product by breaking it down by each process, from raw material procurement, production, processing, distribution, sales, and disposal. The results were obtained in 2022 and reviewed by third-party company Cuon Crop K.K.
(*2) CO2 eq k(Carbon dioxide equivalent): Value converted to its CO2 equivalent using the Global Warming Potential (GWP).
■ Reduction of GHG emissions related to feed by UMITRON CELL (compared to conventional automatic feeders, per 100g of product)
When compared against conventional automatic feeders, Umitron Cell was able to decrease GHG emissions by about 20% (240g CO2 per 100g of product (*3)). This is because it uses an AI-based Fish Appetite Index (FAI) to analyze fish behavior during feeding and can minimize the amount of feed wastage in the water.
(*3) Based on past proof-of-concept (POC) trials conducted by Umitron and red sea bream farmers in Japan.
■ Comparison of GHG emissions between food products (per 100g of product)
The 20% reduction roughly translates to about 1 hour of home air conditioner use. When compared against the carbon footprint for beef produced in Japan, Umi to Sachi's product had a difference of 1,360g CO2 eq per 100g of product (approximately 5.7 hours of home air conditioner use). In the future, Umitron is planning to add more data on GHG reductions for products farmed using Umitron Cell.
Future initiatives
In addition to its continuous journey to develop technologies to improve the farm working environment and the efficiency of fish production, Umitron sees the potential to also contribute to environmental sustainability by helping to reduce the aquaculture industry's carbon footprint. Furthermore, based on the positive results obtained from this life cycle assessment, the company also plans to include the carbon footprint of the products sold under their Umi to Sachi brand. Looking ahead, we want to play a more central role in achieving a low-carbon economy by encouraging consumers to be more sustainability-focused when shopping and choosing more eco-friendly products.
Umi to Sachi’s press release:
https://pr-en.umitron.com/post/654284647153418240/ecstart
About UMITRON
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we’ve developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and AI technology.
We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine conservation and protection. Ultimately, we aim to realize our mission to ‘install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth’.
UMITRON raises $15M in Pre-series B to promote overseas business development.
UMITRON PTE. LTD. (Location: Singapore, Co-founder / Managing Director Masahiko Yamada) and UMITRON K.K. (Location: Tokyo, Co-founder / Representative Director Ken Fujiwara) (hereinafter Umitron) raised around 15 million SGD in their pre-series B round from ENEOS Holdings, QB II Investment Limited Partnership, Toyo Seikan Group, and other commercial banks by combining equity and debt finance.
Combined with our Series A financing in 2018, Umitron has raised 30 million SGD. With this funding, we will strengthen the business foundation of our existing and new services, accelerate overseas business development for salmon and shrimp farming, and increase collaboration with our partners, in which we have significant investments to date.
<Umitron's global services>
■ UMITRON REMORA
UMITRON REMORA is an AI software service that can be installed in existing facilities at large-scale aquaculture farms without needing additional equipment. The process is simple - farmers install the software on the computer they use at the aquaculture site and connect it to the existing cameras installed in fish pens.
UMITRON REMORA also has unique edge AI technologies to perform appetite analysis utilising the farm's existing IT resources and does not require a stable communication environment or additional local servers.
Furthermore, with UMITRON REMORA's real-time feed monitoring and dead fish detection capabilities, farmers now have a powerful tool to optimise their feeding protocols and better manage their production performance. We have already introduced this service in most major salmon farming regions such as
Northern Europe and South America and expect to expand the service in the future.
■ UMITRON EAGLE
UMITRON EAGLE is the world's first real-time AI analysis solution for shrimp farming. Despite undergoing significant growth, technological improvements have been limiting for shrimp producers, partly due to challenges overcoming poor water transparency and an increased focus on digital transformations in fish production. However, Umitron has created a product to assess shrimp production conditions using customised AI algorithms to track real-time biological conditions and other factors in highly turbid and intensive production environments. These include but are not limited to real-time appetite analysis, health and growth conditions, and biomass. We are currently affiliated with Charoen Pokphant Foods (CPF), the world's largest shrimp farmer, and will expand to Southeast Asia, India and China in the future.
■ UMITRON PULSE
UMITRON PULSE is a platform that utilises satellite remote sensing technology to acquire global high-resolution oceanographic data for aquaculture applications. Parameters include seawater temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll concentration, wave height, winds, and currents.
Regardless of species, small changes in the marine environment can significantly impact producer operations such as feed amounts and timing, harvesting and logistics. In addition, major events such as harmful algal blooms can also cause mass mortalities or result in temporary farm closures due to health safety concerns if not detected early. UMITRON PULSE currently provides a 48-hour forecast, the latest available location data, and two years of historical data, which can be used for long-term planning and risk mitigation. The service is already being used in more than 20 countries worldwide, including Europe, Southeast Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. We will continue to develop partnerships with global stakeholders with whom we can collaborate on big data analysis utilising long-term data.
<Accelerating overseas business development>
In addition to strengthening its existing business, Umitron intends to enhance the global development of the services mentioned above with this financing. The company has already formed multinational teams with diverse backgrounds in Singapore and Japan. Furthermore, it will further accelerate the establishment of local subsidiaries and business development in key salmon production regions such as Northern Europe and Chile, and in Southeast Asia, a major market and production hub for shrimp farming.
■ About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint.
Over the past few years, we’ve developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and AI technology.
We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine conservation and protection. Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to ‘install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth’.
Umitron makes new waves with Remora by integrating AI-based feeding optimization and mortality estimation to large-scale farms.
UMITRON PTE. LTD. (Singapore, Co-founder/Managing director Masahiko Yamada, hereinafter Umitron) is proud to announce the launch of its latest product, Umitron Remora. This plug-and-play software brings the company's highly specialized feed optimization algorithms, pellet detection, and mortality estimation to large-scale farm operations without installing additional hardware equipment. It was specifically designed to be a tool to complement a farm's operations to increase efficiency and reduce unnecessary workload and stress for feed operators when having to monitor multiple concurrent pen feeding.
Since the Fish Appetite Index's (FAI) launch in 2019, it has been helping farmers to gauge fish appetite using a combination of machine learning algorithms and image analytics. FAI's integration with Remora now expands its use to a broader range of farming operations and more species that are currently being farmed on a larger scale.
Producers can now easily access FAI by simply installing Remora on their computers and connecting to existing on-site cameras. Doing so allows them to track fish feeding activity in real-time and make necessary changes to feeding protocols. Using customized pre-set thresholds, operators will also receive an alert when changes are detected, helping them to track critical shifts in fish response during feeding. In addition to accessing and using existing cameras, Remora also does not require a robust Internet environment nor the installation of an additional localized server. Instead, Remora uses unique Edge AI technology to perform FAI analyses utilizing the computing resources of the producer's IT systems locally.
Remora also boasts two additional key features - pellet detection and mortality estimation. The former goes hand-in-hand with appetite detection to provide producers with a comprehensive overview of real-time feeding operations. In this way, Remora ensures that fish are fed based on their hunger levels and that there is no unnecessary feed wastage that may contribute to unsuitable environmental conditions.
Remora’s interface allows users can quickly see changes in FAI and numbers of pellets in one interface. They can also adjust their thresholds to be notified of changes when values enter the red warning zone.
The mortality estimation feature allows farm operators to streamline their operations by automating the daily dead fish counting process. This feature will help users manage mortality counts and check fish health conditions more easily. Users start by scheduling their preferred counting times and ensure that their cameras are correctly positioned for data collection. Remora then automatically quantifies dead fish for the captured images using AI.
All feed and mortality data are stored in the dashboard and managers can easily access the historical data to keep an eye on feed performance and compare it with their production metrics over time. The data can also be used for training purposes to ensure consistency between different feed operators.
The company is currently working with a number of partners in key salmon producing regions as well as producers who farm other species by using feeding barge and is also looking for other producers keen on further optimizing and refining their feeding protocols to achieve a more sustainable production footprint.
■ About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and AI technology.
We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine conservation and protection. Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.
Umitron has developed a smart feeder for recirculating aquaculture systems to automate and optimize feeding operations using artificial intelligence.
UMITRON K.K. (Location: Tokyo, Representative: Ken Fujiwara, hereafter Umitron) has collaborated with Hayashi Trout Farm, Inc.(Location: Fukushima, President: Soichiro Hayashi, hereafter Hayashi Trout Farm) and NEC Networks & System Integration Corporation（Location; Tokyo, President: Yushi Ushijima, hereafter NEC Networks & System Integration) to develop a smart feeder for recirculating aquaculture systems. They have since completed a successful experiment to manage the growth of salmon using artificial intelligence (A.I.) to make automatic feeding decisions.
A Smart Feeder for Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS)
Developed exclusively for RAS producers, Umitron's smart feeder is equipped with the Fish Appetite Index (FAI), our proprietary A.I. algorithm that remotely monitors and feeds fish automatically throughout the entire day. Automation via FAI means the system takes charge of feeding based on fish behavior, minimizes feed wastage in the water, and reduces the need for constant human monitoring.
In a growth experiment conducted in September 2021 at Hayashi Trout Farm's land-based site, the system detected that approximately 20% of daily pre-set amounts were wasted and took action to stop the feeding process in time. By the end of the experiment, the smart feeder was deemed effective in making intelligent decisions to control the feeding process using FAI.
Feed Operation Management in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS)
Feed is an essential part of any aquaculture production system, accounting for up to 50% of a farm's production costs and nearly half of a feed operator's daily workload. While most RAS facilities have adequate control over water quality, they still need to closely watch appetite levels since poor feed management can limit growth efficiencies. Excess feed wastage can also put a strain on the filtration systems and lead to increased facility management costs. Having a good grasp of feeding protocols and farm management requires years of industry experience, and the shortage of skilled workers in this sector in recent years is fast becoming a serious issue. Additionally, RAS farms need 24-hour monitoring to ensure that timely measures can be taken when fluctuations in water quality or fish health anomalies are observed. Umitron's smart feeder brings our FAI automation to the farming landscape and can help solve some of these issues, ultimately contributing to the bigger picture of improved growth efficiencies and better farm management.
Future Initiatives
Moving forwards, Umitron, Hayashi Trout Farm and NEC Networks & System Integration will work together in a tripartite partnership to do the following:
develop a RAS franchise
create a package for RAS farms with A.I. and automation system integrations
sell feed equipment
provide consulting services on the use of A.I. in RAS production systems
In addition to salmon farmers, we are also looking for partners interested in integrating A.I. and automation for other commercial fish species into their RAS farms.
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company whose aim is to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering the aquaculture industry with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint while helping them grow and thrive. Over the past few years, we’ve developed products exclusively for the sector using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and AI technology. To date, we have succeeded in helping producers improve their farm efficiencies, manage their risks exposures, reduce their environmental footprint and ultimately contribute to increased business revenues.
Our greatest goal is to utilise our technical expertise to help drive aquaculture towards a future of positive growth where the industry can thrive, coexist with nature and fill the global protein gap in a sustainable, human-friendly and environmentally-focused way. Ultimately, we aim to “install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth”.
Aquaculture technology provider UMITRON officially announces UMITRON EAGLE, the world's first real-time AI-based analytics solution for shrimp farming.
UMITRON PTE. LTD. (Singapore, Co-founder/Managing director Masahiko Yamada, hereinafter Umitron) has just announced the launch of UMITRON EAGLE, their latest technology solution offering the world's first real-time AI-based analytics solution to shrimp producers. It uses advanced AI detection to track multiple real-time biological conditions and other factors in highly turbid and intensive production environments.
In recent decades, the global industry has been primarily centred around an almost singular species, the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). However, despite seeing exceptional growth in the sector, the industry is still plagued by many issues ranging from disease outbreaks, general health management and poor environmental management protocols that can lead to mass mortality events and disrupt the supply chain.
Credit: Shutterstock Copyright: Copyright (c) 2018 Phensri Ngamsommitr/Shutterstock. No use without permission.
The poor uptake and adoption of digital technology by shrimp producers has also been one of the limiting factors stunting the sector's growth, both economically and sustainably. While solutions exist to remotely control feeding (via timer-based automatic feeders) and monitor environmental parameters using sensors, they are currently unable to analyse the real-time conditions of the shrimp. This is further exacerbated by the fact that most farming environments have poor visibility (i.e. high turbidity) and that digital transformations have been slower and more limited for shrimp than their fish counterparts.
Turbid Water in Shrimp Farming Slows Digitalization. Creator: pinyoj | Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto Copyright: pinyoj
Umitron has spent a couple of years developing a solution to assess shrimp production conditions in real-time using customised AI algorithms. These include but are not limited to real-time appetite analysis, health and growth conditions, and biomass. While important, these metrics are not always actively charted and monitored due to a lack of available resources and solutions on the market, be it manpower or automation-wise. With UMITRON EAGLE, producers can now optimise their feeding protocols easily and automatically using real-time analytics. In addition to the current partnership with Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF), Umitron would also like to extend this solution to other shrimp farmers to improve the operations at their production sites.
Via UMITRON EAGLE, producers can expect to successfully achieve:
improvements in FCR, growth and harvest amounts for each crop
improved biosecurity measures and work protocols
a reduction in feed wastage which may contribute to undesirable environmental conditions such as poor water quality and highly-turbid conditions and require frequent water changes
better long-term farming management protocols and optimised operations using the accumulated production data
In this way, Umitron will help strengthen the resilience and growth of the shrimp production landscape, and achieve a more sustainable production environment and footprint in super-intensive farming conditions.
The company is keen on connecting with producers who operate intensive and advanced shrimp farms and are interested in implementing digitisation technologies to take their production to a higher level. If you belong to an organisation eager to join this wave of change with us, please contact us at [email protected].
About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company whose aim is to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering the aquaculture industry with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint while helping them grow and thrive. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the sector using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and AI technology. To date, we have succeeded in helping producers improve their farm efficiencies, manage their risks exposures, reduce their environmental footprint and ultimately contribute to increased business revenues.
Our greatest goal is to utilise our technical expertise to help drive aquaculture towards a future of positive growth where the industry can thrive, coexist with nature and fill the global protein gap in a sustainable, human-friendly and environmentally-focused way. Ultimately, we aim to "install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth''.
Umitron launches a capital and business alliance with ENEOS to commence joint research on blue carbon to achieve a carbon-neutral circular economy
UMITRON PTE. LTD. (Singapore, Co-founder/ Managing director Masahiko Yamada, hereinafter Umitron) has launched a capital and business alliance with ENEOS Holdings, Inc.(Japan, Representative director/ President Katsuyuki, hereinafter ENEOS), which is the top oil company in Japan. ENEOS participated in the capital alliance through its wholly-owned subsidiary, ENEOS Innovation Partners LLC. (Japan, Representative Yasunori Yazaki).
Via this alliance, Umitron will begin joint research on blue carbon in aquaculture, applying technologies such as AI, IoT, satellite remote sensing and data it has been using for fish and shellfish farming to research and develop technologies for seaweed and seagrass farming, known as blue carbon ecosystems.
Background to the blue carbon business as a new aquaculture theme
■What is “Blue carbon”?
"Another seaweed farms" by stefanus.aryawan is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Blue carbon is the carbon that is captured and stored in marine and coastal ecosystems. These include mangroves, seagrass meadows and salt marshes that act as 'carbon sinks', able to sequester (aka "take in") and store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests.Earlier studies by Duart et al. (2005) also showed that they could store carbon at a faster rate up -to 40 times- than their terrestrial counterparts and has been gaining recognition for their role in mitigating the effects of climate change. More recently, in 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC also announced that our oceans and coasts could absorb and store up to 50 million tonnes of CO2 annually. This further proves that nature can play a more central role in climate change mitigation.Also hailed as the "cradle of the sea", coastal ecosystems are rich in biodiversity and serve as vital spawning grounds and nursery habitats for many species. Healthy coastal ecosystems also provide numerous other benefits, such as protection from weather events like tsunamis and food security for communities worldwide.
Copyright Ⓒ ENEOS Holings, Inc., ENEOS Corporation All Rights Reserved.
■Capital and business alliance with ENEOS to promote a carbon-neutral society
Blue carbon is not new to ENEOS - In recent years, they have already been exploring ways to reduce CO2 emissions to help achieve a low-carbon circular economy.
The formation of this capital and business alliance with Umitron stemmed from both parties recognising the benefits each party could bring to explore how blue carbon aquaculture can contribute to enhanced carbon sequestration. With sustainability at its core, Umitron's technology solutions and industry reach meant it was in a prime position to work with ENEOS to accelerate further research in this area.
Moving forwards, Umtron will work on joint projects with ENEOS to support their vision of an ideal economy by sharing its know-how in the area of blue carbon and obtaining support from them via the conversion of blue carbon credits.
Other projects include the joint research on technology integration to achieve blue carbon aquaculture by tapping into Umitron's industry and business experience gained from their various global projects. These include technology know-how on applying analytics to surface and underwater data, stably operating devices, and using remote sensing intelligence in open ocean environments.
One example is Umitron Pulse, which uses global satellite data to monitor the ocean environment in aquaculture production zones. This service’s long-term historical data can be used in tandem with real-time information to map suitable new production areas for seaweed cultivation, fuelling the growth of new blue carbon ecosystems.
Umitron and ENEOS' work in this field of study will contribute to the long-term sustainability of aquaculture and fisheries industries. At the same time, it will aid in the protection and conservation of marine biodiversity and ocean habitats for future generations and ultimately achieve a low-carbon and circular economy by enhancing the performance of blue carbon aquaculture.
Umitron Pulse (https://www.pulse.umitron.com/home), a worldwide high-resolution satellite ocean data map for aquaculture farmers. The long-term historical and forecast data allows users to investigate environmental trends and provides them with an overview of their site performance.
■About Umitron
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company aiming to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology to achieve a more sustainable footprint. Over the past few years, we've developed products exclusively for the industry using a combination of IoT, satellite remote sensing and AI technology.
We are committed to achieving industry growth by improving the working environment and ensuring a safe and stable supply of marine resources with a strong focus on marine and coastal conservation and protection.
Ultimately, we aim to realise our mission to 'install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth'.
Umitron started a business alliance with Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance -Launching a joint research and development initiative to build a sustainable aquaculture industry-
UMITRON K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Representative: Ken Fujiwara, hereafter UMITRON) has formed a business alliance with Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (Location: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President: Shinichi Hirose, hereinafter "Tokio Marine & Nichido") for the joint research and development of solutions to build a sustainable aquaculture society.
■Background and Objective
In recent years, the aquaculture industry has been receiving increasing attention and growing expectations. Demand for food is expected to increase as the world population reaches 9.7 billion in 2050, and there are concerns about future gaps in protein production. Additionally, people are becoming increasingly concerned about environmental issues, including the preservation, conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems.
With this context in mind and a mission to "install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth", Umitron has been developing products and services catered to industry needs. Using a combination of IoT, artificial intelligence (A.I.) and satellite remote sensing, the company has been able to optimize and automate feeding, reduce labor resources and mitigate against risks in the production cycle, culminating in a safe and stable supply of seafood.
Risk visualization and insurance design have been instrumental for the industry's growth to date, but there are still gaps to be addressed. Tokio Marine & Nichido plans to promote the use of data and digital technologies in areas where these have been challenging in the past, contributing to creating a sustainable society via the provision of new data-driven insurance products and risk management solutions.
To create synergies in our respective fields of expertise and establish a sustainable aquaculture industry for the future, Umitron and Tokio Marine & Nichido have decided to form a business alliance.
■Outlines
Via this strategic partnership, Umitron and Tokio Marine & Nichido will jointly promote research and product development that will contribute to the establishment of sustainable aquaculture.
＜Main areas of research and development＞
1. Research and development of new services and insurance products using smart aquaculture data solutions
Aiming to further disseminate smart aquaculture solutions, we will jointly conduct research and development of services and insurance utilizing data obtained from Umitron technology and solutions.
2. Research and development for the implementation of sustainable aquaculture
We will jointly conduct research and development of smart aquaculture solutions to implement sustainable aquaculture.
Through this initiative, we plan to utilize the knowledge of risk management solutions of the entire Tokio Marine Group, including Tokio Marine D.R. Co.
Umitron is seeking new project partners interested in using technology to visualize aquaculture risks and calculate asset values, both in Japan and globally. Please do not hesitate to contact us from the following contacts or our corporate website.
■About UMITRON
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company that aims to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology. We build user-friendly data platforms for aquaculture by using IoT, satellite remote sensing, and AI technology. Our goal is to utilize computer models in combination with aquaculture to help the world sustainably and efficiently deliver protein in a human-friendly and nature-friendly way. Ultimately, we aim to “install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth”.
https://umitron.com/en/index.html
－ Contact －
For farmers or other business partner inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
Umitron launches their online shop UMI to SACHI nationwide in Japan, selling farmed fish from farms utilizing AI, and promoting great taste, food traceability and environmental sustainability.
UMITRON K.K. (Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Representative: Ken Fujiwara, hereafter UMITRON) started selling sustainably produced fish under their UMI to SACHI brand nationwide in Japan through their newly launched online shop. The concept focuses on three areas: great taste, traceability and environmental sustainability. Farms under the brand have been using a smart feeder Umitron CELL, in tandem with the company's AI and IoT technology to determine fish appetite levels based on their behavior and reduce excess feed being released into the surrounding waters. Farmers have also observed shorter production times and faster growth rates without compromising fish quality and taste. Sales of red sea bream began on 4 June 2021 in the UMI to SACHI online shop, and salmon products are scheduled to start selling in mid-June.
Umitron will continue to build new partnerships with aquaculture stakeholders such as producers, processing companies, retailers and restaurants to promote and expand the variety of sustainable seafood offerings under the UMI to SACHI brand. In this way, they hope to help overcome some of the challenges faced by the industry, some of which include the decline of our marine resources due to overfishing, limited sales channels for sustainable options and generally low awareness for environmentally friendly seafood choices.
「UMI to SACHI」online shop URL：https://umitosachi.net
■About 「UMI to SACHI」
UMI to SACHI is part of the seafood initiative that Umitron is undertaking to promote great taste, traceability and environmental sustainability.
Taste:
We rely on expert farmers to produce high-quality, great-tasting seafood products to consumers.
Traceability:
To ensure consumers are aware of the origins of their seafood purchases, we will be transparent about the entire farming story behind the products.
Sustainability:
Using Umitron technology, we support the philosophies and efforts of farmers to produce fish in an environmentally friendly way. (※1）
Moving forwards, in addition to supporting farmers using Umitron technology under the UMI to SACHI brand, we will also be including producers who are passionate about marine environmental protection and demonstrate sustainable farming practices on their farm.
For more details about UMI to SACHI：https://www.umitosachi.umitron.com/
（※1）Using technology to achieve efficient and environmentally friendly aquaculture
In a large-scale feed optimization demonstration using our smart feeder, Umitron CELL and Fish Appetite Index (FAI), red sea bream producers fed their cages remotely via smartphone based on analyzed fish appetites and achieved a 20% reduction in feed amounts. In addition to maintaining fish quality, they also hit their targeted harvest size in just ten months instead of 1 year. The positive results prove that we can still obtain reasonably sized, high-quality fish quickly while taking care of our marine resources by preventing unnecessary feed from being discharged into the environment.
■The story behind the online shop
Umitron held a successful crowdfunding campaign from November 2020 to January 2021 and set up a series of test sales events at major retailers such as Tokyu Store and Yaoko from February 2021 to March 2021. Through these events, we gathered the support of 800 consumers who identified with the concept behind UMI to SACHI, 608 of whom agreed to take part in our survey.
The survey looked at consumer awareness and preference for purchasing eco-friendly seafood products, with more than 70% of respondents answering that they would buy sustainably grown fish. Additionally, many respondents also indicated that they would love the option to purchase these products online. Based on the numerous requests received and the immensely positive support for the UMI to SACHI campaign, we decided to launch an online shop to bring sustainably produced fish closer to consumers. Diversifying our sales channels also allows us an additional platform to raise awareness for eco-friendly and human-friendly seafood.
■Future developments
Umitron will be increasing the variety of seafood products on the UMI to SACHI online shop by expanding its partnership portfolio with producers and processing companies. In doing so, we aim to have sustainable seafood become a natural choice for consumers in their daily lives.
The company will also focus on diversifying our sales channels by developing more partnerships with companies and organizations that identify with the brand and are invested in jointly promoting sustainably sourced seafood.
Bringing high-quality, delicious and environmentally friendly seafood from farm to table requires a collaborative multi-stakeholder approach beyond what technology alone can provide. If you are a company, NPO/NGO group or even an individual that supports sustainability initiatives or want to contribute to the development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), please feel free to contact us using the contact information provided or the inquiry form on our website.
■About UMITRON
UMITRON is a Singapore and Japan-based deep tech company that aims to solve worldwide food and environmental problems by empowering aquaculture with technology. We build user-friendly data platforms for aquaculture by using IoT, satellite remote sensing, and AI technology. Our goal is to utilize computer models in combination with aquaculture to help the world sustainably and efficiently deliver protein in a human-friendly and nature-friendly way. Ultimately, we aim to “install Sustainable Aquaculture on Earth”.
UMITRON will carry out activities to support the 14th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) - Life Below Water.
UMITRON Website：https://umitron.com/ja/index.html
History
April 2016: UMITRON PTE.LTD. (Singapore) was established.
September 2016: UMITRON K.K. (Japanese corporation) was established.
June 2018: UMITRON PTE LTD raised a total of over 920 million yen in its early stageSeptember 2018: UMITRON PTE LTD raised an additional 300 million yen
December 2018: Raised a total amount of US$2 million via a partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank. Launched an IoT projects for salmon trout aquaculture in Lake Titicaca in Peru
January 2019: Released "UMITRON CELL®", a smart feeder for aquaculture.
August 2019: Launched the Fish Appetite Index (FAI), the world’s first real-time ocean-based fish appetite detection system by machine learning.
November 2019: Started a joint project with CP Foods, the largest shrimp business enterprise in the world to install the future sustainable model for shrimp aquaculture.
July 2020: Started providing "UMITRON PULSE", a high-resolution ocean monitoring service for aquaculture using satellite data.
December 2020: Launched a smart fish measurement system "UMITRON LENS ®" using AI and image analytics
February-March 2021: Conducted test sales of "UMI to SACHI" at multiple major mass retailers such as Tokyu Store and Yaoko in Japan.
March 2021: Selected as a finalist of "Japan’s Environmental Startup Award" established by the Ministry of the Environment.
