Two research papers highlighting Bahrain’s expertise in using AI in space science were presented at a top environmental remote sensing and security conference in Scotland.
The presentation on artificial intelligence technologies and Earth observation came as part of the Bahrain Space Agency’s (BSA) participation in the international SPIE Sensors + Imaging conference in Edinburgh.
BSA satellite data and image analysis lab head Roaya Bubshait and satellite design department chief Aysha Al Haram presented the papers, as part of a joint research programme between the BSA and Strathclyde University in the UK.
The programme brought together expertise to address environmental and infrastructure monitoring in the Gulf region through remote sensing and AI technologies.
Ms Bubshait said her research paper addresses a specific environmental challenge involving the monitoring of rainfall floods, which create temporary water bodies in extremely arid coastal environments.
“These water bodies form and disappear rapidly, making them difficult to capture using traditional methods, while having various impacts on infrastructure and quality of life,” she added.
“The research adopted an innovative methodology integrating radar and optical data and using deep learning techniques, an AI technology, to accurately identify the locations of these water bodies.
“This opens promising prospects for water resource management, environmental change monitoring and climate adaptation in arid areas.”
Ms Al Haram’s research focused on a key challenge in hyperspectral space imaging.
It helps improve the resolution of images without compromising their spectral signatures, which enable materials on the Earth’s surface to be identified and distinguished.
She explained that the research adopted an innovative methodology that guides AI models towards preserving the spectral regions most relevant to distinguishing between materials under real-world space imaging conditions.
Ms Al Haram noted that the significance of the research lies in linking satellite image analysis with the design of satellites and their imaging payloads.
The key is to allow application requirements to directly inform and shape space system design decisions.
This opens promising prospects for further applications including monitoring urban infrastructure and assessing its condition, tracking environmental changes, detecting and distinguishing targets and structures, detecting camouflage, and supporting decision-making with more accurate and reliable information.
The two papers received wide recognition from attendees, including supervisors and subject-matter experts.
The attendees commended their scientific value, the depth of their methodologies, and the practicality and relevance of their applications to regions that share similar climatic conditions and infrastructure characteristics with Bahrain.
The participation adds to the kingdom’s record at international scientific forums and highlights the ability of national expertise to compete in advanced space sciences and harness them in support of sustainable development and environmental protection.
The two researchers continue their work on joint research projects between the BSA and Strathclyde University, seeking to develop accurate tools that improve data-driven decision-making based on real-world data and further advance Bahrain’s position in this vital domain.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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