In-depth | LIFE-SAVING AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT FEATURE THEME Small mercies


Syrlinks’ new My-AIS emergency beacon is claimed to be the smallest and least voluminous launched to date, to encourage hassle-free and lifejacket- friendly adoption


smallest emergency AIS beacon, in a bid to promote a culture of greater safety awareness within the boating sector. Primarily aimed at crew and


F


passengers aboard coastal boats and vessels navigating on inland waterways – and including yachts, recreational craſt and non-commercial boats – the miniature My-AIS device is intended to provide a lightweight and simple alternative to larger,


cumbersome


AIS-man overboard (MOB) beacons. And, despite the unit’s small size, Syrlinks would appear to have good form when it comes


to developing


workable solutions for use in hostile environments: the company delivered the communication links for the space robot Philae, which famously landed on the Tchoury comet in November 2014 as part of the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission. As Cyril Boissy, product manager for


beacons at Syrlinks, tells Ship & Boat International: “Most distress beacons are bulky and can interfere with the movements of those who wear them. Some beacons are too large to be fitted into an inflatable lifejacket and some beacons cannot be integrated to be automatically activated when the jacket inflates – which is important if they fall into the sea unconscious.” Some recreational boat users may


also consider larger beacons to be something of a ‘drag’ to carry around during the day, and avoid wearing them because they feel uncomfortable, or even unstylish. It is also worth noting that some occasional boaters simply don’t appreciate vessel capsizal or MOB incidents as serious risks– these are always accidents that affect ‘other people’ – and, consequently, feel that the hassle of wearing an AIS beacon outweighs


16


rench life-saving appliance (LSA) manufacturer Syrlinks claims to have launched the world’s


The My-AIS has a volume reportedly “two to four times lower than other AIS-MOB beacons”


is waterproofed to IP67 standard. The beacon has been designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -200C to 550C, making it suitable for a wide range of environments. Boissy explains: “Te beacon is usually


clipped onto the mouth tube, on the front side of the chest/bladder,” thereby ensuring that the beacon remains above the sea level: this is crucial, as the unit’s 162MHz VHF signal cannot be propagated if it is submerged. “Te only point is to make sure the spring antenna, when deployed, will be above the surface,” he says. Upon


act ivat ion, the My-AIS


the potential life-saving benefits such technology offers. Alternatively, for coastal police and


rescue boat operatives undertaking high-pressure missions, the fewer voluminous items of equipment they have to restrict their movement, the better.


Radio range Measuring 115mm x 40mm x 20mm, and weighing just 95g, the My-AIS beacon has been designed to be integrated into all lifejacket types, and, Boissy adds, has a volume


“two to four times lower


than other AIS-MOB beacons”. He contrasts the My-AIS with Ocean Signal’s RescueME MOB1 beacon, which, despite being slightly lighter at 90g, has a volume “30% higher than the My-AIS”, including a height of 134mm. Each My-AIS unit is constructed from


plastic, using the resin type GELOY HRA222F, at a factory in Brittany, and


beacon automatically sends the MOB casualty’s GPS position and a distress message over the AIS network, alerting passing and nearby vessels – as well as coastal stations and shore-based first responders – within a radio range of 5-10nm. Another advantage is that


the data gets logged onto the


marinetraffic.com website, which tracks all AIS-equipped vessels. Te My-AIS has a stated battery life of


seven years, though Boissy adds: “Aſter seven years, we ensure that the battery has enough energy to transmit a distress message over 24 hours at -200C; on this specification, we have a 50% margin.” So far, the unit has undergone a series of sea trials, including a round of tests with Coastguard New Zealand, which was reportedly a “great success”. Syrlinks also identifies the UK boating sector, with its growing base of yacht owners on the east and south coasts, as an ideal market for this minuscule solution. In terms of price, the My-AIS costs


£179 or €199 (US$229), including 20% VAT, Syrlinks adds. SBI


Ship & Boat International November/December 2018


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