Les saken på norsk GNSS signals are increasingly disrupted or denied, both in Ukraine and in Northern Norway. The Trondheim-based company SentiSystems has developed a solution that ensures precise navigation even when GPS is unavailable. In today’s operational environments, both civilian and military, access to GNSS can no longer be taken for granted. Experiences from the war in Ukraine show that GNSS signals are frequently jammed. Similar disruptions are increasingly common in Northern Norway, particularly in Finnmark. These challenges highlight the growing need for robust, alternative navigation solutions. To address this need, SentiSystems has developed SentiNAV, a navigation system designed to deliver accurate and reliable positioning, even when satellite signals are denied. What is GNSS? GNSS stands for Global Navigation Satellite Systems, a collective term for satellite-based positioning technologies like GPS (USA), Galileo (EU), GLONASS (Russia), and BeiDou (China). These systems enable global navigation for everything from smartphones to ships, vehicles, and aircraft. When signals are blocked, jammed, or degraded, traditional positioning methods break down, which can be critical in high-stakes scenarios. Fredrik Leira CTO and Arne Kjørsvik CEO in SentiSystems. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster Navigation without satellite signals According to CEO and founder Arne Kjørsvik, SentiNAV was built to ensure positioning in environments where satellite signals are either unavailable, blocked, or actively disrupted. This applies not only in military operations, but also in civil infrastructure, industrial logistics, and maritime applications. Sub-terrain domains, including tunnels, underground spaces, and inside buildings, are also environments where GPS is unavailable. SentiNAV fuses data from multiple sensors including IMUs, LiDAR, radar, and cameras to deliver precise positioning and full situational awareness, completely independent of GNSS. The system applies a method called sensor fusion, combining input from different sources to create a highly reliable and accurate navigation picture. The IMU (inertial measurement unit) tracks acceleration and rotation. LiDAR uses laser scanning to generate detailed 3D maps of the environment. Radar adds reliable detection and distance measurement, even in low visibility, while cameras provide visual context that helps interpret surroundings. Together, these sensors enable SentiNAV to operate with high accuracy, even in GNSS-denied environments. TSN compatibility for reliable data integration SentiNAV is fully compatible with TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking), a technology standard that ensures precise and predictable data transfer in networks where timing is critical. TSN is widely used in autonomous systems, industrial control, and defense. With TSN support, SentiNAV integrates seamlessly into time-critical networks and delivers real-time navigation data with exceptional precision and reliability. SentiSystems’ GNSS-independent navigation and situational awareness system SentiNAV MS-1 equipped with integrated cameras and sensors. TSN-compatible. Built for demanding environments The system is designed to function underground, in urban environments, offshore, and in contested zones. SentiNAV is already in testing and use across sectors. Whether deployed in autonomous drones operating in conflict areas, industrial vehicles working in mines and port terminals, or vessels navigating along signal-disrupted coastlines, SentiNAV delivers operational confidence in the most challenging conditions. Read also: SentiSystems Develops Technology for World’s First Autonomous Ferry Connection Part of a thriving tech ecosystem SentiSystems is part of three leading innovation communities in Trøndelag: NORDSEC Defence and Security Cluster, Ocean Autonomy Cluster, and participates in the XLRTR program through the FI Ocean Space Incubator. These networks provide a unique commercial and technical ecosystem that helps SentiSystems grow and position its technology for both national and international markets. We develop technology that works when it truly matters, when GPS is unavailable and the margins are tight. It's about safety, efficiency, and readiness, says Kjørsvik. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster About SentiSystems Founded in Trondheim, SentiSystems brings together a team with strong expertise in sensor technology, autonomy, and software development. The company delivers solutions for GNSS-independent navigation and situational awareness, with a focus on defense, industry, and maritime sectors. With SentiNAV, the company has established itself as a leading provider of resilient and precise navigation in mission-critical environments. Want to learn more? Contact Arne Kjørsvik, CEO, SentiSystems Phone: +47 932 02 013 Email: arne.kjorsvik@sentisystems.com Website: www.sentisystems.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arnekjorsvik
SafeNav Limited, a pioneering company in maritime decision support systems, has joined the Ocean Autonomy Cluster. By bringing innovative solutions designed by navigators, for navigators, SafeNav aims to support safer and smarter navigation in the maritime industry, both now and in the future. From bridge fatigue to bold innovation SafeNav was founded by Captain Jorgen Grindevoll during the COVID-19 pandemic, after observing the challenges mariners face on long voyages. While aboard a modern LNG tanker for nine months, Grindevoll noticed that the crew, both seasoned and new, made more navigational errors than usual due to fatigue and cognitive overload, despite the advanced equipment on board. This highlighted a critical gap: while navigation systems had advanced, they still lacked decision support tools to help mariners manage complex situations in real time. Driven by this insight, Grindevoll sketched the first concept of SafeNav on a napkin. With extensive experience in both maritime operations and dual-use technology development, he assembled a team of partners and secured funding through Horizon Europe to turn the idea into a fully operational system. SafeNav platform. Photo: SafeNav From concept to real-world testing Now, just 2.5 years later, SafeNav is testing its prototype aboard its first vessel, M/S Salama, in partnership with Turku University of Applied Sciences. A second installation is planned for June 2025 aboard a Danaos Shipping vessel in the Mediterranean. SafeNav is headquartered in London, UK, and is gearing up for a seed investment round to commercialize its first two products. SafeNav’s flagship system, the SafeNav Co-Pilot, is the world’s first decision support tool for collision avoidance that fully integrates the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs). Positioned at MASS Level 1, the system is designed for manned ships today and can scale for remote and autonomous operations in the future. The team is working closely with DNV to certify the system, covering 34 out of 40 COLREG rules. Test vessel Salama - Turku University of Applied Sciences - Turku AMK Supporting mariners today—preparing for autonomy tomorrow “We believe autonomy begins with meaningful decision support,” says Capt. Grindevoll. “SafeNav is committed to assisting crews at sea today, while also preparing for the autonomy of tomorrow.” By joining Ocean Autonomy Cluster, SafeNav aims to engage with fellow companies and experts to collaborate on regulation, certification, and the future of maritime autonomy. With decades of hands-on maritime experience, SafeNav looks forward to contributing its knowledge and learning from others in the cluster as the industry moves toward autonomous shipping. “We are excited to be part of this network of companies shaping the future of maritime autonomy,” says Capt. Grindevoll. “We look forward to sharing our expertise and working together on the standards and technologies that will define safe and efficient operations at sea.” Do you want to know more? Contact Jorgen Grindevoll, Founder & CEO SafeNav Limited Direct Tel: +47 99 52 74 39 E-mail: jorgen.grindevoll@safenavsystem.com Website: www.safenavsystem.com
Read article in Norwegian Navigating at sea comes with constant challenges, as captains and navigators must process large amounts of real-time information from numerous onboard instruments. Situational awareness is crucial for avoiding accidents, yet it’s easy to become distracted by lighting conditions and the environment. A new technology developed at NTNU aims to enhance safety by offering navigators a more intuitive way to perceive information. The Maritime Head-Up Display (M-HUD) project originates from the MIDAS initiative and is now moving toward commercialization. Maritime Head-Up Display (M-HUD) is a LED-based visual technology designed to improve situational awareness for maritime navigators. The system displays critical information directly within the navigator’s field of view, allowing visual cues for navigation points and surrounding objects without requiring the navigator to look away from the environment. This helps maintain focus while receiving real-time data. M-HUD reduces cognitive load by presenting information in a non-distracting way and helps navigators detect potentially critical objects—like other vessels or navigational markers—more easily. Maritime Head-Up Display, illustration From research concept to realization M-HUD has its roots in the MIDAS project – “Humans in future ocean operations” – a capacity-building initiative focused on the human role in increasingly autonomous and automated maritime environments. The MIDAS initiative, involving academia, research, and industry, has developed solutions that strengthen the innovation capacity of key Norwegian players and contribute to the development and export of maritime autonomy technologies. NTNU has been a key partner in the project, and M-HUD is a direct result of the interdisciplinary efforts involved. Maritime Head-Up Display, illustration Background and inspiration: From the Armed Forces to NTNU The story behind M-HUD began in the early 2000s, when Jon Bernhard Høstmark, one of the inventors of M-HUD, was working in the Norwegian Armed Forces. As part of a team operating the Combat Boat 90—capable of navigating at speeds of up to 45 knots—Høstmark experienced the challenge of high-speed navigation in unfamiliar waters. Jon Bernhard Høstmark Høstmark quickly realized that in these situations, maintaining situational awareness was difficult. Much of the navigation was visual, through the windows, and this became increasingly demanding at high speed. “We relied heavily on our eyes to orient ourselves, and it was easy to get distracted. I saw a need for technology that could assist navigators without distracting them,” Høstmark explains. After further work on navigation systems at Kongsberg and Kongsberg Automotive, Høstmark became an adjunct professor at NTNU. There, he met Ole Andreas Alsos, an expert in human-computer interaction. Together, they began exploring how technology could enhance situational awareness without distracting the navigator. “We started developing various ideas, thinking about how to present relevant information in a simple and intuitive way, without interfering with the navigator’s focus,” Alsos says. The technology behind M-HUD M-HUD is designed to present key information directly in the navigator’s field of view—eliminating the need to look down at instruments. For example, the system can display the position of a lighthouse or another vessel relative to the navigator, making it easier to identify important objects in real time. The system is based on simple mathematics and technology that projects the object’s relative direction and distance near the window, enabling fast and precise orientation without shifting focus to screens. Using simulators in Ålesund, the technology was tested in a lab environment—with impressive results. Students participating in the trials identified twice as many objects, spent less time per object, and reported significantly lower cognitive load compared to traditional navigation tools. “The results confirmed we were on the right track. With solid research data, we had something tangible to build on, laying the foundation for commercialization,” Høstmark says. Image caption: Maritime Head-Up Display, illustration A case example: The Helge Ingstad accident One example of how M-HUD could make a difference is the Helge Ingstad accident. One of the critical mistakes in that incident involved misinterpreting the deck lights of the oil tanker TS Sola. The captain of Helge Ingstad mistook them for the lights of the Sture Terminal near Bergen. This inability to distinguish the lights led to a misjudgment of the situation. At the core of the incident: a lack of situational awareness. Situational awareness is vital when navigating in unfamiliar waters, and its absence is a leading cause of serious maritime accidents. Fatigue, poor communication, inadequate procedures, and lack of compliance with safety regulations on the bridge are additional risk factors. These kinds of distractions and misjudgments can prevent timely reactions to potential hazards. Technology like M-HUD can help reduce such incidents by providing immediate visual cues about objects and dangers in real time. This enables better understanding and decision-making in critical situations—potentially preventing collisions. Jens Nygaard, NTNU Technology Transfer Commercial testing and the road ahead To ensure real-world functionality, M-HUD has been tested on several commercial vessels, including express boats in Trondheim. The system was installed in under an hour and proved easy to integrate with existing navigation systems. Feedback from captains and crews has been very positive, and the project team is now adapting the technology for different vessel types. “Ease of implementation and positive user feedback are among the most important indicators that this technology could have a major impact on maritime safety. We look forward to licensing the technology and developing it further with industrial partners,” says Jens Nygaard at NTNU Technology Transfer. NTNU Technology Transfer is now in the process of licensing the technology to an industry partner for further commercialization. With its innovative approach and ability to improve maritime safety, M-HUD has the potential to become a standard solution for future maritime operations. M-HUD represents a significant step toward a safer and more efficient maritime industry. By enhancing situational awareness and reducing the risk of human error, this technology can help prevent serious accidents at sea. Ole Andreas Alsos, NTNU Shore Control Lab MIDAS – Humans in future ocean operations MIDAS is a capacity-building initiative exploring the role of humans in future maritime operations, where autonomy and automation play an increasingly central role. The project brings together partners in technology, design, and business development, including academia, research institutions, and industry. NTNU contributes across all these areas through interdisciplinary involvement, while SINTEF Digital provides expertise in human factors and digitalization. DNV adds deep experience from classification and certification, and the clusters Digital Norway, Ocean Autonomy Cluster, and Blue Maritime Cluster represent over 150 companies in maritime technology and digital transformation. MIDAS aims to strengthen the innovation capacity of key Norwegian players, foster development and export of maritime autonomy technologies, and ultimately enhance safety and efficiency in future ocean operations. NTNU TTO NTNU Technology Transfer Office - TTO is NTNU’s unit for the commercialization of research and innovation. NTNU TTO supports researchers and entrepreneurs in developing and commercializing new technologies by assisting with patenting, business development, funding, and startup formation. The goal is to ensure that research from NTNU and its partners results in products and services that benefit society. Want to know more? Jens Nygaard NTNU Technology Transfer 📧 Jens.f.nygaard@ntnu.no 📞 +47 942 00 844 Ole Andreas Alsos Head of Shore Control Lab / Professor of Interaction Design NTNU Department of Design 📧 oleanda@ntnu.no 📞 +47 915 44 825 Jon Bernhard Høstmark Engineering Manager Systems Design and Integration Kongsberg Automotive 📧 jon.b.hostmark@ntnu.no 📞+47 913 41 809 Maritime Head-Up Display presentation
At Nor-Fishing, Ragnhild Kristina Ølstad from NTNU Technology Transfer AS presented a maritime head-up display for fishing vessels. The head-up display is developed by Jon Bernhard Høstmark, Felix-Marcel Petermann and Ole Andreas Alsos from NTNU Department of design. The head-up display gives a simplified visualization of information through design and good results from testing in the simulator. The solution is better information through design. It is intuitive, it keeps your head up from the screen, has less switching, only upon alerts, Ragnhild Ølstad says. The display also simplifies information from the system, reduces visual overload, improves situational awareness, is a good support in low visibility, and shows the relative position. The team and NTNU Technology Transfer are now looking for partners for production, sale and distribution of the display. Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Ocean Autonomy Cluster