Page 46: of Marine Technology Magazine (July 2020)

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Xsens Technologies BV

Enschede, Netherlands – www.xsens.com

Founded in 2000 in Enschede, Netherlands, Xsens

Technology BV is a supplier of Inertial Sensor Modules and 3D motion capture technology. Xsens inertial sensor modules produce real-time, accurate and reliable out- puts that make them perfect for integration into collision avoidance systems, autonomous surveying equipment and geolocation services. Particularly well suited to marine applications, the Xsens motion tracking sensors are elec- trically and mechanically robust; they are highly resistant to interference from common marine phenomena such as strong magnetic ? elds and continuous vibration. They are also supplied in robust packages which are rated for use in harsh and wet environments and extreme temperatures.

Xsens’ MTi-30 Attitude and Heading Referencing Sys- tem (AHRS) recently played a huge role in one company’s missions of carrying out data-rich surveys of the sea ? oor.

Planblue, a spin off company from the Max Planck Insti- tute of Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, uses Xsens’

NORBIT Subsea

MTi-30 AHRS to measure their sub-sea camera’s acceler-

Trondheim, Norway ation and rate of turn in three dimensions up to 400 times www.norbit.com per second. The stability of these outputs is maintained by Xsens’ proprietary calibration and compensation soft- ware, so that Planblue’s post-processing AI software can cancel out the effect of vibration to produce detailed maps

NORBIT Subsea disrupted the coastal hydrographic of the sea ? oor. These maps open up a whole range of pos- market with its WBMS platform. The key to success of sibilities in the areas of conservation, renewable energy

WBMS is the idea of designing a state-of-the-art, super- generation and the development of marine infrastructure.

compact, highly integrated multibeam echo sounding

Another piece of Xsens technology that is already en- platform while, at the same time, making the hydro- abling the future of maritime transport is autonomous graphic experience as easy, productive and worry-free ships. CaptainAI, a Dutch start-up developing marine as possible for the hydrographers. Capitalizing on this autopilot technology, aims to supplement or even re- philosophy, in June 2020, NORBIT Subsea raised the place the ship’s captain with an AI-based system which bar of innovation by launching WINGHEAD, the latest will help to lower the cost of shipping, while providing addition to the NORBIT family. WINGHEAD is a true higher levels of performance and reliability. Integral to 1024 beams multibeam echo sounder, with frequency

CaptainAI’s technology is the Xsens MTi-G710, a high- agility from 200kHz to 700kHz, with a resolution of performance inertial navigation module that provides 0.5 x 0.9 degrees (at the center frequency of 400kHz) real-time, accurate and consistent outputs for attitude, and with the iconic NORBIT curved arrays. We made heading, position, velocity and acceleration.

no compromise on miniaturization: with a low hydro- dynamic impact and a weight in air of less than 7kg (including the mounting brackets and the GNSS/INS)

WINGHEAD is positioned to be the preferred platform for the most demanding applications also for unmanned surveys. The ? rst WINGHEAD production batch has already been sold in the ? rst two weeks after its launch, a demonstration of the solid reputation of success that

NORBIT enjoys in this industry when it comes to new product introduction. WINGHEAD is the multibeam echo sounder that will become, for many years, the benchmark sonar in the hydrographic industry.

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