‘Whoop’ – new autonomous method precisely detects endangered whale vocalizations

One of the frequently used methods to monitor endangered whales is called passive acoustics technology, which doesn’t always perform well. In the increasingly noisy ocean, current methods can mistake other sounds for whale calls. This high ‘false positive’ rate hampers scientific research and hinders conservation efforts. Researchers used artificial intelligence and machine learning methods to develop a new and much more accurate method of detecting Right whale up-calls — a short ‘whoop’ sound that lasts about two seconds.