Smart-Ship grabs investment for haptic helm feedback

Smart-Ship has received a 200,000 euro investment from the Uniiq fund. The money will enable the Yes!Delft startup to further develop its technology for intuitive feedback to captains. The haptic feedback helps them steer more safely and consume less fuel.

In order to be able to sail large ships efficiently and safely, mechanical control is replaced by electrical control, which eliminates the feeling of steering. Instead, the captain uses information on monitors. The large number of visual signals can be tiring and thus error-prone.

The Smart-Ship technology was developed by Roy Kok during his graduation project for the Navy at Delft University of Technology. It gives a more intuitive sailing experience by returning signals from the system as haptic feedback. This requires less effort and concentration on the part of the captain. The programmable lever can also be used in training centers.