{"id":168428,"date":"2019-10-17T21:10:19","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T13:10:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.geek.com\/featured\/-1807668\/"},"modified":"2019-10-17T21:10:19","modified_gmt":"2019-10-17T13:10:19","slug":"autonomous-mayflower-to-cross-atlantic-400-years-after-original","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/test\/wordpress\/2019\/10\/17\/autonomous-mayflower-to-cross-atlantic-400-years-after-original\/","title":{"rendered":"Autonomous Mayflower To Cross Atlantic 400 Years After Original"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Visualization of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship with a reflection of the original Mayflower (via University of Birmingham Human Interface Technologies Team)<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

In 1620, the Mayflower set sail from England, carrying some 130 Puritans across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2020, a new Mayflower will follow the same path between the UK and US\u2014but this time without any passengers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marking the fourth centenary of an American-history icon, the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) is scheduled to begin its 12-day journey next September.<\/span><\/p>\n

This isn’t a pleasure cruise, though: Powered by renewable energy technology, the boat will carry three research pods, allowing scientists to remotely study\u00a0 ocean conditions, marine pollution and conservation, and autonomous navigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Visualisation of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship cruising at sea, completely unmanned (via University of Birmingham Human Interface Technologies Team)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

“Putting a research ship to sea can cost tens of thousands of dollars \u2026 a day and is limited by how much time people can spend onboard\u2014a prohibitive factor for many of today’s marine scientific missions,” MAS co-founder Brett Phaneuf said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

“With this project,” he continued, “we are pioneering a cost-effective and flexible platform for gathering data that will help safeguard the health of the ocean and the industries it supports.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The Mayflower Autonomous Ship was conceived in 2014 as a modern embodiment of the Pilgrims’ pioneering spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n

It also draws upon 400 years of maritime history to inform the next 400 years of exploration, according to<\/a> non-profit ProMare, which is at the helm of MAS.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Visualisation of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship with a wingsail and solar panels propelling the ship (via University of Birmingham Human Interface Technologies Team)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Research pods are coordinated by Plymouth University<\/a>, while the vessel is being designed by Whiskerstay and M Subs and constructed in part at Aluship Technology in Poland.<\/span><\/p>\n

New to the global consortium, IBM is lending<\/a> its artificial intelligence, server, cloud, and edge computing technologies to autonomously navigate and avoid ocean hazards.<\/span><\/p>\n

“IBM helped put a man on the Moon and is excited by the challenge of using advanced technologies to cross and research our deepest oceans,” according to chief technology officer Andy Stanford-Clark. “By providing the brains for the Mayflower Autonomous Ship, we are pushing the boundaries of science and autonomous technologies to address critical environmental issues.”<\/span><\/p>\n

More on Geek.com:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n