Radar Reader: Interpreting Data and Improving Safety for Boaters

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Written By: Theresa Nicholson

2024 IBEX Innovation Award Interview with Tocaro Blue

Today’s boaters face a frustrating reality: navigation displays overwhelm us with so much detail that it’s hard to make sense of it all. This can be especially true when it comes to interpreting radar data.

The IBEX Innovation Award-winning Proteus Hub by Tocaro Blue uses AI to classify radar targets, offer on-screen 3-D visualizations and interpret radar information.

“The industry is beginning a push towards Advanced Driver Assistance Technologies,” said Andrew Rains, the senior sales director at Tocaro Blue. “While automotive and consumer electronics have evolved to become intuitive and user-friendly, marine displays remain stuck in the past, forcing operators to wrestle with confusing interfaces and scattered information when they should be focusing on the water ahead.”

By processing and interpreting sensor data behind the scenes, Proteus Hub streamlines the helm experience and provides user-friendly information for the boater. The result? Boaters can now harness the benefits of their radar system with more confidence.

What problem was the Proteus Hub designed to solve?

Today’s boaters are often faced with navigation displays that overwhelm, rather than inform. While automotive and consumer electronics have evolved to become intuitive and user-friendly, marine displays remain stuck in the past, forcing operators to wrestle with confusing interfaces and scattered information when they should be focusing on the water ahead. This is especially true with interpreting radar data.

This complexity has created a concerning safety gap—many boaters avoid using their radar systems altogether. This leaves them vulnerable to collision risks simply because the technology is too difficult to master. Tocaro Blue is transforming this experience through the power of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence.

By intelligently processing and interpreting sensor data behind the scenes, Proteus Hub streamlines the helm experience into clear, actionable information. The result? Every boater, regardless of experience level, can now harness the full safety benefits of their radar system with confidence.

We’re not just simplifying navigation— we’re making safe boating accessible to everyone. Proteus Hub delivers clear, smart navigation using your existing onboard electronics.

Can you describe the innovative features of the Proteus Hub?

There are several innovations packed into the Proteus Hub. The most apparent is Radar Vision. Proteus uses machine learning to interpret what your radar sees. Machine learning analyzes radar returns and classifies them into one of eight object classes (for example, boat, buoy, land, wake). Although it’s not required for Proteus Hub to function, when available, AIS and cartography data are also used to enhance Radar Vision. The Proteus Hub comes pre-loaded with cartography for the United States, and third-party cartography is offered as an add-on for customers outside of the US.

Another innovative feature is the Proteus Hub 3D View. Proteus Hub offers an intuitive, 3-dimensional, augmented reality style display. This view enables close-quarters navigation in rivers and channels, and in and around shallow areas. Our unique 3D View makes it easy to visualize water depth and objects around your boat at all times. The 3D View feature is available as part of the $299/year subscription.

Who is the target market for the Proteus Hub?

Our target market is anyone with radar and a compatible display! Proteus offers value to both pros and new boaters alike. Most of our current customers’ boats are in the 25-foot to 65-foot range, and are owner-captained.

For serious boaters, you can overlay raw radar data on the Proteus display. For new boaters, there’s no need to learn how to interpret a radar display to navigate safely.

Why will a customer opt for the Proteus Hub over similar products?

It’s powerful, affordable and easy to install. While various navigation software products exist, Proteus Hub is unique in its radar vision capability and 3D navigation view. For boaters considering other situational awareness tools, Proteus offers a comprehensive navigation solution at a sub-$5,000 price point. It is compatible with a wide range of marine electronics brands.

While Proteus typically takes an installer about two hours to fully install, it is simple enough for DIY installation by folks who are familiar with the systems and cable runs on their vessel.

Who is currently using the Proteus Hub?

Current users are generally owner-captained boats: Center and dual console cruisers, express cruisers, and small yachts. We currently have two boats with professional captains in our customer fleet and one professional charter fisherman.

What feedback have you received?

We’ve had great feedback from our users. Here are a couple of our favorite comments:

“At night, I felt my comfort level skyrocket because I felt like I had night vision with Proteus.”
– Capt. Scott (Red) Flowers, 45 years + as a charter fishing captain

“I love and trust it more and more every day. It was especially helpful coming back from the Bahamas to the Florida Keys in the dark—I mean, a ton of help with the limited visibility.”
– Capt. Sips Gatsheni

Users have commented that they found 3D Vision very helpful at night, and when navigating tight waterways, and they liked that depth, buoys and channel markers were easy to see in 3D.

Some users have expressed that they especially like that the Proteus 360 awareness feature alerts them when boats are approaching from behind. Distance awareness is another feature that received positive feedback, with customers commenting that Proteus lets them spot distant boats they may not be able to clearly see with their eyes.

What kind of boats is the Proteus Hub being used on?

Proteus is being used on a variety of boats. The target boats for the Proteus Hub are 25-foot to 65-foot, owner-captained leisure and fishing boats. Currently, our installation base ranges from a 23-foot Sea Hunt and a 62-foot Bluegame, to a 100-foot Westport and everything in between.
We think Proteus Hub offers the most value for vessels with two or three MFDs in the primary helm, where they can dedicate Proteus to one screen.
The Proteus Hub relies on radar, GPS/Compass, and NMEA2000 information. Any vessel with a compatible radar, MFD, GPS/Compass is a fit for Proteus.

How has it changed the boatbuilding process?

The Proteus Hub is designed to be a straightforward plug-and-play product. The device itself is small and can be mounted in a variety of locations, so no significant changes are required by the boatbuilder.

The Proteus Hub offers a modernized experience at the helm; therefore, it offers a huge value to boatbuilders who want to present a refreshed ML- and AI-enabled navigation interface to their customers.

Which builders/installers are using the Proteus Hub?

We’re working with multiple builders and installers, and we’re adding more dealers, installers and partners each month. Here’s a list of companies we’re currently working with:

· Canyon Bay Boats (boatbuilder); Perry, FL
· Crossed Industries (boatbuilder); Haines City, FL
· George’s Marine Electronics (electronics installer); Pensacola, FL
· Ocean Craft Marine (boatbuilder), Annapolis, Maryland
· Orion Marine Services (electronics installer); Gulf Breeze, FL
·Tampa Bay Yacht Management (electronics installer); St. Petersburg, FL
· Suncoast Power Boats (electronics installer); Sarasota, FL
· Wave Electrics & Electronics, Inc. (electronics installer); Huntington Beach, CA

Is the Proteus Hub product indicative of any trends in the boating industry?

The industry is beginning a push towards Advanced Driver Assistance Technologies. The acceptance and interest in the Proteus Hub indicate that boaters expect a more modern and intuitive experience at the helm. Boats have had radars for decades, but now we finally have the technology to make the radar easy to understand and visualize.

Is the Proteus Hub designed in response to any larger trends in the industry?

Yes, it was clear to us while in the early phases of development that using existing sensors and electronics, in combination with powerful AI/ML software was the way forward. The global trend in AI technologies has enabled us to move quickly, hire talented engineers, and get investor backing to support our business model.

The Proteus Hub, at $4,950 (+$299/yr in subscription fees for enhanced features), is a very affordable way to add AI technology to your boat. It provides additional capabilities from your current sensors without buying very expensive and complex additional hardware components.

Which systems is Proteus Hub compatible with?

The Proteus Hub is compatible with any MFD with an HDMI Input and an available Ethernet port. It requires a connection to the NMEA2000 bus as well to pull compass/GPS data, as well as Depth and AIS information.

We have been told by dealers and customers that installation is quick and easy; it can be done in two hours or less. Currently, we support new customers by connecting to their system remotely and supporting their initial sea trial to ensure proper configuration.

What plans are in place for the future of Proteus Hub?

Future plans include increasing distribution to enable easy access to the product for all marine electricians and boaters.

We’ll add more features, including routing capabilities, and increase object detection and classification performance.

What impact do you see the Proteus Hub having on the boating industry?

Our hope is that the Proteus Hub helps to usher in an era of user-focused navigation and vessel control systems. We think the key to increased safety at sea is 1) intelligent sensor data and 2) intuitive user experiences. Proteus Hub makes your radar intelligent and communicates collision avoidance information in an actionable way.

What plans do you have for the future of this design?

The Proteus Hub product is likely to remain the same for a while. However, we do have a commercial marine/militarized version of the hardware in the works that offers APIs for system integration.

Tocaro Blue has a Software Development Kit (SDK) for the “ProteusCore” which is the machine learning engine that powers the Proteus Hub product. This software can integrate into existing electronics products (MFDs and radar), navigation software, vessel control systems, and other marine sensors (cameras, future marine LiDAR, high precision/short range radar), in order to add radar-based collision avoidance features to those products.

Theresa Nicholson is an award-winning journalist who’s covered the marine industry for 25 years. She is the former senior editor of Cruising World, a judge for Newport for New Products, and a judge for the IBEX 2024 Innovation Awards program. She’s covered past IBEX shows for Soundings Trade Only, Practical Sailor, and Cruising World. Nicholson lived aboard her 31-foot ketch for 11 years and sailed from Miami to Malaysia. Her work currently focuses on weather, marine safety, risk analysis, and high latitude sailing.