Orientation at sea, the provision of GPS of a tourist nature and the general facilitation of every activity at sea through augmented reality are at the heart of the development application PoSEAdon, by Greek hands.
Speaking to naftemporiki.gr, M. Synodinos, co-founder of the PoSEAdon development team, explains that the idea came from his childhood, when he, as an islander, would ask his grandfather “which island is this that we see”. As Mr. Synodinos notes, in the context of his involvement with sailing, he found that there were many who had the same “problem” with regard to orientation and identification of islands.
"That's why I started looking into what technologies were available to provide a more realistic display of information, using only the camera from mobile phones or tablets," he adds, mentioning that PoSEAdon's horizon includes its use in Google's upcoming wearable augmented reality device, the upcoming Google Glass.
The development of PoSEAdon began in October, and, as Mr. Synodinos points out, three weeks ago the proposal was presented to Turkish investors, in the context of which a demo and the financial study (which has also been evaluated by a multinational firm of chartered accountants) were presented so that the product could be developed for the Mediterranean region. The presentation was followed by five proposals from abroad, at which point negotiations have begun for full or partial participation in the project.
"Since the day we returned from Turkey, we have been in discussions with Greek investment funds. We want to find other investors, mainly Greeks, from the shipping sector, to proceed with the implementation of the program. Our goal is not only the Mediterranean, but also further development in other seas," he notes.
POSEADONAR
Based on the study, the amount required amounts to 850,000 euros, which includes software costs, purchase of electronic components, marketing, etc. One of the first target groups will be cruise customers in the Mediterranean, and for this, Mr. Synodinos notes, the application needs to be configured so that it can serve all cruises in that particular sea. Other target groups include people who use pleasure boats, marinas and coastal municipalities.
"We are interested in the customer in a marina being able to see the availability of boats and berths, as well as refueling. From there, municipalities will have the possibility of historical review, so that the user can "see" the port over time," says Mr. Synodinos, explaining the e-culture dimension of the project.
The entire project is part of the Dutch embassy's Orange Grove initiative, within the framework of which some innovative proposals were selected in the summer to proceed with implementation, providing mentors and contacts.
The application will be available on iOS (the demo for which is already ready) and Android, while there are thoughts about adapting it to other operating systems. Emphasis, as mentioned above, is given to adapting it to Google Glass data.
According to Mr. Synodinos, collaborations with international companies have already begun in the last six months, regarding the acquisition of know-how in augmented reality and the electronic data sector. Also, in January, the PoSEAdon team was selected in the framework of a competition organized by Industry Disruptors- Game Changers to go to Brussels to examine the funding opportunities arising from the next Horizon 2020 business framework. Relevant know-how was provided by the Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, as in Europe the e-culture sector is considered one of the main pillars of development. It is noted that there is potentially available funding through Blue Growth.
In conclusion, Mr. Synodinos points out that the goal is to close the "round" of fundraising by the end of April, so that the team can proceed with the completion of the program.
Source: naftemporiki.gr
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