# Research on Ship-Borne Wave Observation Experiment Based on Stereoscopic Vision

## TL;DR

A new ship-mounted system using 3D vision measures waves accurately, with results comparable to traditional buoys.

## Contribution

Development of a ship-borne stereoscopic vision system for real-time wave measurement with quantified accuracy.

## Key findings

- The system's significant wave height error was less than 0.14 m compared to buoy data.
- Sampling frequency and baseline-to-height ratio significantly affect measurement accuracy.
- A low-error zone aligned with the baseline direction was identified under fixed configurations.

## Abstract

Currently, most wave observation equipment is used for fixed-point measurements, and there is a relative scarcity of ship-borne real-time wave measurement devices, which limits comprehensive and three-dimensional monitoring of wave characteristics. This paper introduces the Wave Acquisition Stereo System (WASS) and describes the design and construction of a ship-borne stereoscopic vision experimental apparatus. Sea trials were conducted to evaluate the system’s ship-borne wave-measurement performance and to quantify the effect of deployment parameters on accuracy. The results indicate that the device reliably retrieves wave parameters; compared with concurrent buoy observations, the error in significant wave height did not exceed 0.14 m. Research confirms that deployment parameters have a significant impact on measurement outcomes: sampling frequency directly affects the accuracy of wave-parameter estimation; a higher sampling rate (10 Hz) improves the reliability of the calculated results. The baseline-to-height ratio has an optimal range (0.1–0.3), and values outside this interval reduce measurement accuracy. Under a fixed geometric configuration, the observation field exhibits a band-shaped low-error zone aligned with the baseline direction.