Silicon Sensing Supports 'Mayflower' Autonomous Ship Project
To mark the 400th anniversary of the 'Mayflower' setting sail to America with 102 intrepid early settlers on board, a team has a plan to design and build a fully autonomous ship to make the same Atlantic crossing, completely unmanned, in 2020. The team is led by US-owned but UK-based (Plymouth) firm MSubs and includes Plymouth University and ProMare (a charitable research foundation). Silicon Sensing is to provide a package of support to help turn the MAS400 concept into reality.
During the voyage, the Mayflower Autonomous Ship – MAS400 – will conduct a series of scientific experiments before arriving at its destination in the USA. Unlike the Mayflower however, the final destination isn’t America, as the plan is for MAS400 to continue on an unmanned circumnavigation of the globe, eventually returning to its home port of Plymouth.
MEMS IMU Assisting Autopilot
In addition to sponsorship of the project, Silicon Sensing will supply its precision MEMS IMU (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems - Inertial Measurement Unit), the DMU30, to provide the inertial sensing data within the electronic autopilot to help guide MAS400 during its ocean adventures. MSubs and Silicon Sensing have been collaborating on the evaluation of DMU30 for future INS-based surface and subsea navigation solutions for a variety of projects at MSubs.
