Latest News from Kongsberg

GPS AND INERTIAL DATA COMBINE FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE OF NEW SEAPATH PRODUCT RANGE Oceanology International, 9-11 March 2010, Stand E600 Precise positioning accuracy for demanding operations in challenging environments The next generation of the Kongsberg Seatex Seapath family will be displayed on the Kongsberg Maritime stand (E600) and demonstrated aboard MMT Seabeam at Oceanology International 2010. The new Seapath 300 family of products offers the best possible combination of GNSS signals and inertial measurements for precise heading, attitude and positioning and is designed for demanding operations in challenging environments. Seapath 300 is a high grade family of products developed by Kongsberg Seatex specifically for the hydrographic market and other high precision applications where heading, position, roll, pitch, heave and timing are critical measurements in order to achieve precise and accurate results. Possible applications include: Hydrographic surveying, dredging, oceanographic research, seismic work and offshore construction where accurate compensation of multibeam echo sounders, hydro acoustic positioning systems and ADCPs or vessel motion monitoring is required. As a dual GNSS solution, with the possibility to use GLONASS in addition to GPS satellites, Seapath 300 is highly reliable, offering significantly increased system availability and robust integrity monitoring, especially in highly obstructed environments, where satellite acquisition may be a challenge. In case of a complete GNSS dropout, the inertial sensor part of the product - the new MRU 5+ is able to take over to provide position, velocity and heading measurements. This requires no user actions and ensures that operations may continue until the GNSS signal returns. The Seapath software comprises an 'All-in-One' signal processing core with advanced algorithms and true parallel processing of all available signals including inertial measurements and SBAS (e.g. WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS and GAGAN). DGPS/DGLONASS corrections from different sources are combined by the unique MULTIREFT capability and there is no practical limitation to the number of reference stations handled by the Seapath software. The system provides a high output data rate (up to 200 Hz), zero delay on output data, data available in up to eight different measurement points and with a total of 16 configurable ports via Ethernet, 3 analog channels and 8 serial lines. Seapath 300 makes use of newly developed PFreeHeave® algorithms, which use past measurements to output a correct and phase-free heave. PFreeHeave provides benefits in long swell conditions and for applications that can utilize a delayed heave signal such as seabed mapping applications. Visit stand E600 at Oceanology International 2010 to find out more about the Kongsberg Seatex Seapath 300 and MRU 5+, and to book a demonstration of both products in action aboard the MMT Seabeam. *** NEW MOTION REFERENCE UNIT FROM KONGSBERG SEATEX AT OCEANOLOGY INTERNATIONAL Oceanology International, 9-11 March 2010, Stand E600 New generation of the de-facto industry standard attitude determination sensors Kongsberg Seatex is showing its newest Motion Reference Unit, the MRU 5+ to the marine science and survey industry on the Kongsberg Maritime stand (E600) at Oceanology International 2010. The new MRU 5+ builds on the already cutting-edge technology employed in previous MRU generations and takes roll, pitch and heave measurements closer to perfection than ever before, with documented roll and pitch accuracy of 0.01° RMS. "The Kongsberg Seatex MRU was originally launched in 1992 at Oceanology International in Brighton, so we are delighted that 18 years later, we are able to return to this industry leading event with the next evolution of a product that has become the de-facto industry standard, having deployed over 7000 units so far across a diverse range of applications," states Finn Otto Sanne, Product Manager, Kongsberg Seatex. The new industry-best accuracy provided by the MRU5+ is achieved through use of sophisticated inertial sensors including linear accelerometers and Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems - MEMS - rate gyros specially developed for maritime use by Kongsberg Seatex. The new MEMS rate gyro, of which there are three in each MRU, combines very low noise, excellent bias stability and outstanding gain accuracy. Solid-state sensors with no moving parts, combined with the respected electrical and mechanical construction of Kongsberg Seatex's previous MRU generations, enables very high lifetime reliability across all applications, which include: - Motion compensation of single and multi-beam echo sounders - High speed craft motion control and damping systems - Heave compensation of offshore cranes - Hydro acoustic positioning - Ship motion monitoring - Ocean wave measurements - Antenna motion compensation and stabilization Kongsberg Seatex has ensured that installation and configuration of the MRU 5+ is straightforward, by further developing its Windows based 5+ configuration and data presentation software, MRC. The MRC software is incredibly flexible, and includes data protocols for the most commonly used single and multibeam echo sounder systems. A series of simple menu prompts allows the user to choose the optimum configuration for a specific application ensuring that MRU 5+ will always provide maximum performance. In addition to simple, flexible installation and configuration, MRU 5+ makes it easy to distribute the MRU data to multiple users on board the vessel via Ethernet, whilst output pro¬tocols for commonly used survey equipment are avail¬able on two individually configurable serial lines and Ethernet/UDP. Further connections include external input of speed and heading information on separate serial lines for improved accuracy in heave, roll and pitch during measurements turns and acceleration. Visit stand E600 at Oceanology International 2010 to find out more about the new Kongsberg Seatex MRU 5+. *** KONGSBERG MARITIME TEAMS UP WITH MMT TO PROVIDE HYDROACOUSTIC DEMO BOAT AT OCEANOLOGY INTERNATIONAL Oceanology International, 9-11 March 2010, Stand E600 Regular Oceanology International attraction returns to ExCeL Kongsberg Maritime will once again provide visitors to Oceanology International with a live product demonstration facility aboard a fully equipped demo boat, this year in conjunction with survey company MMT. Stationed on the dock just outside of the ExCeL exhibition centre, the 16m survey boat MMT Seabeam is equipped with a typical Kongsberg Maritime survey suite and will be taking to the water regularly for the duration of Oi10. "With such positive feedback on our live demonstrations at previous exhibitions we are delighted to return to Oceanology International with a demo boat again, and are quietly confident that we'll have a busy time on the water," comments Peter Bennett, Hydrography Sales Manager (UK and Ireland), Kongsberg Maritime Ltd. "MMT Seabam will give us the opportunity to show visitors exactly how our hydrographic solutions work in a live situation, which gives them a much better insight into how they can best utilise them for their own operations." The survey suite aboard MMT Seabeam at Oceanology International includes a KONGSBERG EM3002 multibeam, GeoAcoustics GeoSwath Plus wide swath sonar and Kongsberg Seatex Seapath 300 position, attitude and heading system with the next generation motion reference unit, MRU5+. The team onboard are experienced survey technology specialists and in addition to demonstrating the systems in a live situation are also well qualified to discuss Kongsberg Maritime's complete portfolio of products for the survey industry. To book a place on a demonstration aboard MMT Seabeam visit Kongsberg Maritime on stand E600 at Oceanology International 2010.