BAE Systems Harnesses Pioneering Technology to Power Land Rover BAR’s America’s Cup Bid
May 31, 2016 | BAE SystemsEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

The technology, which uses the body’s natural ability to transmit sound through bone conduction, is being applied to Land Rover BAR as a way of dramatically improving communication between crewmates and support boats.
BAE Systems’ expertise in bone conduction technology, used elsewhere to aid armed forces personnel on the battlefield, has allowed it to develop a communications device that enables users to keep both their ears free so external sounds can be heard, whilst providing the ability to communicate clearly with crewmates despite the harsh and noisy conditions.
The prototype headset creates physical vibrations from an audio signal, which travel through facial bones into the inner ear, which translates these vibrations into nerve impulse signals sent to the brain, allowing the user to hear audible sound.
Mohammed Akhmad, Principal Scientist at BAE Systems, said: “We’ve heard from Land Rover BAR how clear and accurate communication is essential to a winning sailing team. The system we have developed is able to deal with the large amount of background noise, which can affect the clarity of the speech being transmitted, and is also rugged enough to operate in the extreme conditions sailors are regularly put through.”
Communication is essential to making smart tactical and strategic decisions when racing, with crews having to operate in highly pressurised environments, sailing at speeds up to 50mph in adverse weather conditions. This can cause regular headsets to fill with water and become muffled, making clear communication between the racing crew and support staff almost impossible.
Members of the public can see – or hear – this for themselves as the technology is being put through its paces at the Tech Deck at Land Rover BAR in Portsmouth, as part of an interactive exhibit that shows how technology helps teams make the right decisions in the high-pressured race environment.
Land Rover BAR sailor Matt Cornwell, who has been racing in the America’s Cup since 2003 said: “On board communication is something that we have identified as a real performance differentiator. We have had to step up our game from the pre-2010 era when a headset was ‘a nice to have’ and you could get the job done with some fairly basic kit. Now we are having to get much more sophisticated, which is why BAE Systems’ support and expertise is so important to the future successes of our team.”
BAE Systems is a part of Land Rover BAR’s multidisciplinary research and development Technical Innovation Group, powered by PA Consulting, tasked with providing world-leading technology and engineering expertise to drive a competitive advantage at the America's Cup.
Suggested Items
OKI, NTT Innovative Devices Establish Mass Production Technology for High-Power Terahertz Devices by Heterogeneous Material Bonding
06/21/2025 | BUSINESS WIREOKI, in collaboration with NTT Innovative Devices Corporation, has established mass production technology for high-power terahertz devices using crystal film bonding (CFB) technology for heterogeneous material bonding to bond indium phosphide (InP)-based uni-traveling carrier photodiodes (UTC-PD) onto silicon carbide (SiC) with excellent heat dissipation characteristics for improved bonding yields.
The Evolution of Picosecond Laser Drilling
06/19/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIs it hard to imagine a single laser pulse reduced not only from nanoseconds to picoseconds in its pulse duration, but even to femtoseconds? Well, buckle up because it seems we are there. In this interview, Dr. Stefan Rung, technical director of laser machines at Schmoll Maschinen GmbH, traces the technology trajectory of the laser drill from the CO2 laser to cutting-edge picosecond and hybrid laser drilling systems, highlighting the benefits and limitations of each method, and demonstrating how laser innovations are shaping the future of PCB fabrication.
Day 2: More Cutting-edge Insights at the EIPC Summer Conference
06/18/2025 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007The European Institute for the PCB Community (EIPC) summer conference took place this year in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 3-4. This is the third of three articles on the conference. The other two cover Day 1’s sessions and the opening keynote speech. Below is a recap of the second day’s sessions.
Hon Hai Research Institute Achieves Breakthrough in Quantum Cryptography Recognized by Leading Global Conference
06/17/2025 | FoxconnHon Hai Research Institute (HHRI), the research arm of Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), the world’s largest electronics manufacturer and technology service provider, has achieved a significant breakthrough in quantum computing.
Global PCB Connections: Embedded Components—The Future of High-performance PCB Design
06/19/2025 | Jerome Larez -- Column: Global PCB ConnectionsA promising advancement in this space is the integration of embedded components directly within the PCB substrate. Embedded components—such as resistors, capacitors, and even semiconductors—can be placed within the internal layers of the PCB rather than mounted on the surface. This enables designers to maximize available real estate and improve performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
Copyright © 2025 I-Connect007 | IPC Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Log in