Spectee Expands Nationwide River Water Level Forecasting with AI Technology

Spectee's Revolutionary Nationwide River Water Level Forecasting

In January of this year, Spectee, a disaster technology startup based in Tokyo, Japan, officially announced a significant enhancement in its services: the nationwide expansion of its river water level forecasting system, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). With the recent approval from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) for flood forecasting operations, the company is set to provide real-time data for many small and medium-sized rivers across the country, which are often challenging to monitor during extreme weather events.

The Need for Enhanced Flood Forecasting

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in short-term heavy rainfall events across Japan, with an average annual occurrence rising to approximately 1.5 times that of a previous ten-year period (1976-1985). This increase necessitates the timely availability of accurate data to enable quick responses to these natural disasters. Spectee has been at the forefront of utilizing various data sources, including social media, weather data, and surveillance cameras, to analyze crisis-related information since 2014.

In January 2025, Spectee became the first private entity to obtain permission for flood forecasting operations using AI models. This permission reflects the company's commitment to addressing challenges such as the lack of water level measurement devices in flood-prone regions and the delayed development of hazard maps which complicate understanding and predicting impacts during heavy rainfall.

Advanced AI Models for Accurate Predictions

Spectee developed unique AI models that analyze historical patterns of water levels and rainfall during floods to generate forecasts based on real-time data. By consistently acquiring water level data and rainfall forecasts, the firm ensures accurate predictions. These forecasts are visually represented alongside real-time flooding estimates using an interactive map, allowing for immediate user notifications.

The mission of Spectee is to visualize crises, and the company is dedicated to leveraging AI technology to build a more resilient society. With this expansion, Spectee aims to play a crucial role in disaster management by facilitating better local government responses through access to vital information.

Insights from Spectee's CEO

Kenjiro Murakami, the CEO of Spectee, emphasized the urgency of their initiative due to the rising frequency of flood disasters driven by climate change. Since obtaining initial permission from the JMA in January, Spectee has significantly broadened its service coverage to nearly all rivers in Japan. This expansion is a notable stride towards achieving the company's goal of building a resilient society.

Thus far, Japan houses numerous small and medium rivers, and the ability to provide timely water level forecasts for these waterways across the nation is expected to greatly aid municipalities in advancing their disaster preparedness through digital transformation. The company is eager to continue developing essential functionalities and AI models needed by society.

About Spectee

Spectee is dedicated to its mission of visualizing crises through the analysis of disaster and risk information sourced from social media, weather data, and navigational aids. Their AI-driven real-time disaster and crisis management service, Spectee Pro, collates, visualizes, and forecasts incidents around the world quickly. Local governments, media, infrastructure firms, manufacturers, logistics, and trading companies have increasingly adopted these solutions, with contracts exceeding 1,000 as of July 2024.

Moreover, since the servicing of the international market began last year, Spectee Pro has found significant traction, particularly in the Philippines, with over 100 licenses already distributed to central and local governments. In the manufacturing sector, Spectee's supply chain risk management service, Spectee SCR, allows organizations to visualize their supply chains and instantly respond to risks impacting suppliers, thus ensuring swift understanding of damage and potential delivery delays.