Eight Knot, Inc.

Bringing autonomous navigation aboard working vessels

Eight Knot AI CAPTAIN is a retrofit autonomous-navigation system for vessels. It combines ship-control software, vessel localization, route planning, collision-avoidance decisions and monitoring, with sensing that helps identify other vessels and obstacles. Eight Knot has installed the system on operating vessels and is developing these capabilities as modules for integration into marine equipment and boats.

The company is working with marine-equipment makers on productization and production, while pursuing adoption with partners in overseas markets. Its modular approach lets a vessel or equipment maker integrate selected navigation functions to suit a specific application rather than replace the entire vessel-control setup.