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Cathx Ocean Unveils INKA Iris Intelligent Camera for Real-Time Underwater Imaging Down to 1,000 Meters.
Faced with the increasing complexity of underwater operations, particularly in the fields of critical infrastructure monitoring and environmental surveying, the ability to obtain accurate and immediately usable data has become a key operational challenge. It is in this context that Cathx Ocean presented its new underwater camera system, INKA Iris, at UDT 2025. This next-generation imaging sensor integrates onboard data processing and real-time artificial intelligence capabilities, opening new possibilities for autonomous underwater vehicles.
INKA Iris is the first camera built on the INKA platform developed by Cathx Ocean, combining ultra-high-resolution image capture with intelligent data processing directly on the sensor (Picture source: Cathx Ocean)
INKA Iris is the first camera built on the INKA platform developed by Cathx Ocean, combining ultra-high-resolution image capture with intelligent data processing directly on the sensor. Designed to be compact and energy-efficient, the system is primarily aimed at medium-sized AUVs (over 200 mm in diameter) and small uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs), offering reliable imaging performance at depths of up to 1,000 meters and speeds of 5 knots.
One of INKA Iris’s key features is its ability to execute AI models locally, eliminating the data transfer and deferred processing bottlenecks common with traditional systems. The device includes a 16-megapixel intelligent sensor that delivers sub-millimetric resolution and high color sensitivity. It supports configurable resolutions and frame rates from 5K to HD and includes geo-referencing and scaling inputs for precise contextualization of the captured data.
The camera is equipped with a powerful hardware platform that runs Clarity, Cathx Ocean’s software system. This architecture is based on microservices designed to enable edge processing and computer vision model execution. Users can configure missions, define acquisition workflows, and manage the system through a web-based interface without the need for an external PC. The internal storage capacity of 2 TB allows for up to 70 hours of survey data to be saved without impacting the vehicle’s bandwidth.
To maintain image quality in turbid environments, INKA Iris features synchronized strobe lighting delivering over 400,000 lumens. This setup minimizes motion blur and the visual impact of suspended particles, enabling large-area image capture at high speed, with a swath of up to 8 meters and a coverage rate of up to 9 linear kilometers per hour.
One of INKA Iris’s key features is its ability to execute AI models locally, eliminating the data transfer and deferred processing bottlenecks common with traditional systems. (Picture source: Cathx Ocean)
INKA Iris is the first camera built on the INKA platform developed by Cathx Ocean, combining ultra-high-resolution image capture with intelligent data processing directly on the sensor. Designed to be compact and energy-efficient, the system is primarily aimed at medium-sized AUVs (over 200 mm in diameter) and small uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs), offering reliable imaging performance at depths of up to 1,000 meters and speeds of 5 knots.
One of INKA Iris’s key features is its ability to execute AI models locally, eliminating the data transfer and deferred processing bottlenecks common with traditional systems. The device includes a 16-megapixel intelligent sensor that delivers sub-millimetric resolution and high color sensitivity. It supports configurable resolutions and frame rates from 5K to HD and includes geo-referencing and scaling inputs for precise contextualization of the captured data.
The camera is equipped with a powerful hardware platform that runs Clarity, Cathx Ocean’s software system. This architecture is based on microservices designed to enable edge processing and computer vision model execution. Users can configure missions, define acquisition workflows, and manage the system through a web-based interface without the need for an external PC. The internal storage capacity of 2 TB allows for up to 70 hours of survey data to be saved without impacting the vehicle’s bandwidth.
To maintain image quality in turbid environments, INKA Iris features synchronized strobe lighting delivering over 400,000 lumens. This setup minimizes motion blur and the visual impact of suspended particles, enabling large-area image capture at high speed, with a swath of up to 8 meters and a coverage rate of up to 9 linear kilometers per hour.