Impact Subsea has launched the Unity Topside Control System and the seaMux Subsea Multiplexer, two solutions designed to streamline sensor integration, simplify telemetry, and enhance data management for subsea vehicle operations.
The seaMux unit is a compact, titanium-housed subsea multiplexer engineered to support a wide range of underwater instrumentation, including sonars, profilers, altimeters, depth sensors, and Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS). Rated for operational depths down to 6,000 meters, the hardware is built for both shallow and deep-water applications. The system features four communication ports, with each port supporting Ethernet, RS232, or RS485 protocols. To ensure scalability, operators can daisy-chain multiple seaMux units together or utilize RS485 multidrop and y-splice cables to host multiple serial sensors on a single port. Furthermore, each port is paired with a software-controllable 24VDC power output that features real-time power monitoring.
Data transmission to the surface is highly flexible, utilizing either standard Ethernet or high-bandwidth VDSL telemetry over a single screened twisted pair. On the surface, the Unity Control System serves as the topside control interface for the deployed underwater sensor suite. Housed in a 1U high, 19-inch rack-mountable form factor, the Unity system runs the company’s seaView software. This software allows operators to view, log, and manage sensor data while facilitating data flow both in and out of the seaMux and Unity hardware. Mirroring the versatility of the subsea unit, the Unity system features four communication ports capable of providing RS232, RS485, or Ethernet connectivity, alongside software-controllable 24VDC power to manage local, topside connections.
A key capability of the combined system is port bridging, which creates a seamless link between a port on the seaMux and a port on the Unity topside interface. This setup allows for the transparent throughput of any third-party data. Consequently, Unity and seaMux can be utilized with a combination of Impact Subsea sensors and third-party sensors, or purely with third-party sensors and instrumentation.
Ben Grant, Managing Director of Impact Subsea, stated, “seaMux is a compact and highly flexible subsea multiplexer. A complete sensor suite can be connected to seaMux and controlled from seaView running on Unity.
“In addition to supporting Impact Subsea sensors, the system also allows connection of third party sensors and instrumentation. Those looking for a compact and flexible subsea multiplexer and topside control system for use on underwater vehicles now have a new highly capable solution available to them.”
