British sailor Alex Thomson is one of the world’s most accomplished solo offshore sailors. Competing in the high speed, extreme IMOCA 60 class, Thomson has broken multiple records and achieved countless accolades throughout his decorated career to date.
In May 2019, I began working as part of the Nokia Bell Labs team who are exploring onboard and shore-based technologies and systems in a bid to enhance the performance capabilities of the Alex Thomson Racing team, as the Industrial Design Lead on the wearable technology subsection of the collaboration.
The goal of this partnership to aid Thomson as he looks to become the first British sailor ever to win the iconic Vendée Globe race.
"One of the toughest sporting challenges in the world, the Vendée Globe is a 24,000 mile solo, non-stop unassisted race around the world. The challenge sees skippers battle through vast, unpredictable waters and brutal conditions, with winds up to 70mph and mountainous waves. When the race reaches the depths of the Southern Ocean and skippers pass Point Nemo, they find themselves closer to the International Space Station than any being on earth, making communications capabilities crucial and emergency rescue virtually impossible." - Nokia Press Announcement
All project material, photos and videos, unless otherwise noted, is copyrighted by Nokia Bell Labs. For more information, please contact info@bell-labs.com
Images sourced from The Hub, by Nokia Bell Labs, Technology sponsors to Alex Thomson Racing.
Additional photography courtesy of Alex Thomson Racing social media
To learn more about the exciting projects happening in Nokia Bell Labs, visit https://www.bell-labs.com/
