You’re probably accustomed to your yacht’s air conditioning, lighting, and more running essentially all the time. What if, though, they all went on only when needed? To that point, what if someone’s footfall on deck activated them—and the decking could double as an alarm system? Esthec, which supplies a variety of decking solutions for yachts and megayachts, has a new product that does this. Called Esthec Sensor Deck, its “on only when needed” function means lower operating expenses, too.
Esthec, based in The Netherlands, partnered with a company called Sencorables, based in North Carolina, to develop it. Sencorables specializes in sensing technology incorporated into a variety of products. It has flooring, for example, that detects the number of people entering a room, as well as where exactly they entered. Together, Esthec and Sencorables created “smart” decking.
Esthec Sensor Deck works in similar fashion. When a person steps onboard, the sensing technology in the decking activates. It tracks not just their presence, but also the direction in which they move. If they head toward the saloon, for example, the system can activate lights there. There’s also lighting integrated in the decking material. Esthec Sensor Deck therefore can illuminate with every step a person takes. Or, it can guide the person safely around onboard. As shown above, Esthec can create patterns, symbols, or text (like the yacht’s name) with the material, too.
From an energy-savings standpoint, Esthec Sensor Deck seems to hold some promise. When you’re ashore for several hours, there’s no need to blast cool air in every room. When you come back aboard, climate control can kick back on.
Perhaps most promising, during the day or at night, Esthec Sensor Deck becomes an additional security tool. When the sensing technology detects a presence, it can send you or your captain a smartphone alert. Intruders can therefore be dealt with whether you’re onboard or not.
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