Mayflower 400, world’s first Artificial Intelligence ship: All you need to know

A team of researchers from the marine research organization ProMare in collaboration with IBM built the world’s first AI ship, the ‘Mayflower 400’.

Mayflower 400, the unmanned 15-m-long trimaran that weighs nine tons is a completely autonomous ship. The ship is set to sail on a transatlantic voyage. Mayflower 400 will track aquatic mammals, analyze plastic in the water, and study marine pollution.

The ship is powered by Artificial Intelligence and the Sun’s energy via solar panels. Various nations such as India, the United States, and Switzerland have contributed a variety of technology towards the project. One of the partners at IBM informed that the project would have been 10 times costlier than the $1 million invested by ProMare without the global efforts from these nations.

The ship has been equipped with a smart captain, an artificial intelligence technology. The ship is also installed six high-tech cameras and radars to help the ship learn during its course. The ship, however, is yet to be work at its best under the worst weather conditions.

Mayflower 400 autonomous ship will begin the transatlantic voyage on May 15, 2021 subject to good weather conditions. The initial launch was meant to commemorate the sailing of the original Mayflower that pilgrims from England took to seek a new settlement in America in 1620.

Mayflower 400, world’s first AI ship: Key highlights

•Mayflower 400 is a completely autonomous ship.  It is a 15-m-long trimaran that weighs nine tons.

•It will begin its transatlantic voyage on May 15, 2021, to track aquatic mammals, analyze plastic in the water, and study marine pollution.

•It is powered by Artificial Intelligence and the Sun’s energy via solar panels.

•It has been built by the marine research organization ProMare in collaboration with IBM.

•ProMare invested $1 million along with global contributions in form of technology from India, the United States, and Switzerland to build the ship.

•The ship, equipped with a smart captain, six high-tech cameras and radars, has been trained with audio data to avoid collisions, correct its course, detect marine animals, and gather information of the population of the aquatic animals.

•The ship can also listen to whales with a self-activating hydrophone.

•Currently, the ship is trained to handle fifty meters high waves.

•Mayflower 400 autonomous ship provides an edge to the scientists in exploring the rough seas as the ship will be unmanned.