The technology of the future

From my side of the industry (entertainvent systems, IT and communications) i can identify two areas where change is coming, the first is the streaming of media to yachts. Over the last fewyears new products such as Jetstream have given us an introduction to what will be possible in the future, i am already getting requests tus provide the ability to use on demand media services such as BBC iPlayer on board. With the use of the iPad and Apple TV this is becoming easier to achieve there are still issues to resolve with regard to country specific IP addresses when using VSat but these can be resolved?

On board communications for crew iis another area whelot technology has advanced, it is now possible to provide a crew member with a single digital radio this provides them with the ability to talk to other crew members, make and receive telephone calls and interface to the onboard alarm and monitoring system to receive notification of essential alarms and steward call requests from guests. These new systems are also totally secure ensuring that the onboard operations can not be hacked into by third party''s as is currently possible with current sollutions

We very much see a future in the clouds, digital films and digital news etc. It''s an exciting time!

For superyachts specifically, I think the biggest changes will be in the following areas:

- Navigation. We already have GPS systems, Google Earth, etc., and these technologies are only going to improve from here on in. Tracking where you are, and what route to take (with dynamic updates relating to weather systems, oil spills, piracy, and other situations to steer clear of) will become even easier.

- Automated onboard systems. As computers become faster and cheaper, they''re going to take on more tasks that sailors typically did in the past. There will be more automation in superyachts, not just in terms of the basic functionings of the boat, but even if amenities like food preparation or massages.