Date: Sep 13, 2013 Source: SBIR.gov (
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Smart Chart AIS (Automatic Identification System), a product developed by Technology Systems, Inc. (TSI) under a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, is a way to improve waterway safety and security for small vessels. The system is being provided free of charge to all boaters. The Smart Chart AIS concept is based on the fact that the boating community likes their counterparts on land, also own and use smart phones on their boats and that these smart phones could be used to provide tracking similar to ship AIS systems where ships are identified and located by electronically exchanging data with other nearby vessels. From this initial idea the Smart Chart AIS concept for small vessels was developed. The system provides lots of great resources free of charge, in exchange for users participating in this new form of AIS. TSI's intent is to eventually place the Smart Chart AIS protocols in the public domain, and to enable all manufacturers, boaters, and other maritime interests to be better informed about what's around them, resulting in enhanced safety for all.
