launcht Boston-based startup Sea Machines Robotics wants to build a name for itself in the commercial shipping industry just like what Tesla and other brands have done to the car, by retrofitting ships to give them autonomous technology.
The ambitious startup, which in September released its first product- The Sea Machines 300 is the company’s autonomous control system that can be installed in work boats and which uses common vessel-based instruments along with proprietary algorithms. The product gives the boat it’s deployed in a degree of self-awareness, so that the boat can move from point to point while avoiding obstacles or crashing with other vessels.
The system links to all on-board propulsion, steering, and thrust machinery, and a remote user interface is also provided for command and control as well as data reception. the company is coming out with two more products in 2018. They’ll be specifically catered to doing work with things like ferries and container ships, and the company is also working on some things related to delivering cloud-based services.
The company mission, is to create autonomy so that operations can be more efficient and things can be safer. Our main objective is we’re creating a system that can serve as a backbone of decision-making for commercial ships. To be first minimally manned and then unmanned.
– Phil Bourque, director of business development for Sea Machines
