Getting in Touch with the Underwater World: Bajan Digital Creations Inc

What is the best way to take a photo of the ocean? According to Antonio Hollingsworth, go right to the source. 

For many of us, the ocean remains distant and inaccessible. Bajan Digital Creations Inc., a Barbados-based tech company headed by Hollingsworth is on a mission to change that.

In 2021, The World Health Organization reported that in Latin America and the Caribbean, between 29% of men and 67% of women are unable to swim unassisted. Through his innovative approach, Hollingsworth aims to connect people with the underwater world and empower them to make climate-resilient decisions for the future of our reefs.

From Chatbots to the Sea

After leaving a two-decade-long career as a STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) educator, Hollingsworth returned to Barbados with one goal in mind. He wanted to “shrink the world” to help Bajans overseas to connect with their homeland digitally. 

That vision started at Bajan Digital Creations Inc. with Yaro, a chatbot designed to answer questions for businesses. From there, Antonio fell in love with the potential of artificial intelligence.

Later he and his fo-founder decided to take this technology out to sea when they realized that underwater immersive experiences were precisely the kind of content people craved. But to do that, they needed to collect the footage to fulfill this demand. With that goal in mind, Antonio ventured into the waters with a 360-degree camera. 

After a few near-death experiences, he decided to use robots instead. But there was one thing missing, the AI that would power the machines. Without the resources to have someone else build it, they did it themselves. After a year of work, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and two computer explosions, NOLA, the Neuro Ocean Learning Algorithm was born. 

NOLA is an AI system designed to collect underwater footage and map the reefs and biodiversity of the ocean. It doesn’t just capture images; it learns from them, creating a better understanding of the underwater world for people to learn more about the ocean around them.

This technology formed the foundation for the BlueBot Project, a suite of services aimed at improving the ocean intelligence of people and enabling them to make informed decisions that align with the needs of our oceans. By leveraging NOLA, the project strives to bridge the gap between humanity and marine life. 

This was a crucial step in addressing the gaps within the regional dataset where comprehensive and accessible data on Caribbean marine life and ecosystems was limited, disjointed or non-existent. Nola’s footage created an extensive dataset that was consistent and unbiased and could train other AI algorithms. 

This data would not only benefit their initial vision of preserving and sharing the beauty of the Caribbean reefs but also serves as a resource for researchers, scientists, entrepreneurs in the blue economy and conservationists, ultimately enhancing our understanding of the region’s marine environment.

Challenges and Triumphs Along the Way

The path from idea to reality was not without its challenges. In a conservative community where slow tech adoption was the norm, Antonio and his team faced difficulties convincing others of the value of their technology. The project encountered classification issues and legal gray areas surrounding underwater equipment, but they found support. 

To date, the project has been funded by and won the Blue Tank 2020 Challenge of the UNDP Accelerator Labs and the Oceans Challenge hosted by Export Barbados and Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility. It has been lauded for redefining the perception of coral reefs as more than diving destinations and tourist attractions. 

Furthermore, it has been praised for creating new employment opportunities in the industry along with providing the data required for addressing the climate crisis and improving marine resource management.

One of the most significant wins for Bajan Digital Creations is the ability to involve people who cannot swim in climate-resilient solutions. By engaging individuals of all ages and backgrounds in the process of training NOLA, they empower a broader range of people to participate in safeguarding the oceans.

The impact of the BlueBot Project extends beyond marine environments. The technology has the potential to be applied in various terrestrial settings, from environmental impact assessments to agriculture and beyond. The underlying technology can adapt to numerous scenarios, making it a versatile tool for innovation.

Antonio and his team did not set out to change the world. However, through their innovative problem-solving, they have created a solution with vast potential. Their impact extends far beyond the ocean’s surface, promising to transform the way we interact with our environment.

Bajan Digital Creations Inc. is proof that sometimes the most profound innovations are born from simple ideas and a passion for solving problems.