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Until now, the MADBrain—the most advanced Autopilot of its generation—has relied on a wide range of sensors (wind, boat speed, Heading, inertia, and sensors on the foils). Thanks to this integration, Madintec autopilots (notably the renowned MADBrain series) will now be able to “see” and understand in real time how the sails are set and how they are performing.
Sail Controls’ 3D sensors and reconstruction algorithms enable real-time modeling of the actual shape of the sails while underway. This critical data is transmitted to the Madintec system. The Autopilot can thus anticipate changes in sail power, adapt the boat’s behavior to adjustment of the sails, and maintain a stable and fast course with unmatched precision, particularly on foiling boats (IMOCA, Ultim, Ocean Fifty).
“The combination of our technologies creates exceptional synergy, ” says Éric Péron, a renowned professional sailor and founder of Sail Controls. “Our mission has always been to make the invisible visible by digitizing the shape and dynamics of sails. By integrating sail shape data from Sail Controls with Madintec’s algorithms, we enable sailors to harness 100% of their boat’s potential, even when they are sleeping or inside the cabin.”
At Madintec, the enthusiasm is shared: “The integration of sail shape dynamics opens a new chapter in flight management and predictive control. Knowing exactly how the sail is set at any given moment allows us to refine our Autopilot. This represents a huge gain in performance, but also in terms of Safety solo sailors navigating at extreme speeds.”
The first implementations of this joint system are already being tested as part of preparations for upcoming major oceanic events.
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Founded by professional sailor Éric Péron, a leading figure in French offshore racing (Figaro, Ocean Fifty, IMOCA, and ULTIM), Sail Controls (https://www.sailcontrols.com/) was born out of a practical need identified at sea: to replace guesswork with objective data. The company designs and develops innovative hardware and software solutions (onboard 3D sensors, analysis algorithms) to measure, digitize, and analyze sail shape and rig loads in real time. These systems provide sailors, sail designers, and now autopilot systems with high-precision data to optimize settings, validate design choices, and push the limits of performance .
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Based in France (La Rochelle and Lorient), Madintec (https://madintec.com/) is an engineering firm specializing in automation, electronics, and embedded computing. Co-founded and led by Matthieu Robert, a software architect whose world-class expertise was honed during three America’s Cup campaigns (notably through the development of the renownedSailVision performance analysis system), the company relies on a state-of-the-art design office. The team includes highly qualified professionals such as Mathilde Tréhin, a PhD specializing in control and automation systems, who ensures the quality of the control algorithms. A leading name in offshore racing, Madintec develops the MADBrain autopilot solutions that equip the fastest sailboats on the planet, distinguishing themselves in legendary races such as the Vendée Globe and the Route du Rhum.
