These were just three of the key issues that faced the team from Virtual Eye, who provide the live 3-D tracking and images, which enhance the experience of following America’s Cup racing.

Now, with less than two days left before racing begins, the virtual experience is ready to for the start gun. 

In itself raw boat speed is not as much of a challenge. But getting a consistent signal back to shore from the two multihulls and, more importantly, setting up a reliable infrastructure to make it all work, all within that time frame of the last two and a half weeks since they were asked, represents the biggest challenge since they brought 3-D technology to the America’s Cup in 1992.  (see animation video )

“In fact the time frame has been just unbelievable for us. But we have a pretty amazing, small team.” Explains Ian Taylor CEO of Virtual Animation. “What we need to do is to get the X and Y coordinates off the back of these two race boats and then once it is on shore, after that it is all relatively easy. Getting the information off the boats is the key.”

In 2006-7 when they worked at the 32nd America’s Cup here in Valencia they spent two months surveying the race areas on seas and on land sites. That has helped them reduce the lead time necessary but the primary need for time is about being able to rigorously test the system.

The technology on the boats is as it has been in the past, essentially supplying a GPS signal giving position in lat/long, boat speed, pitch and roll, and compass course. But because no one is very sure about how the signal may be decayed at the more extreme heel angles of the multihulls then there will be two transmitters each on Alinghi 5 and BMW ORACLE.

On each race boat there are two tracker units which ensure multiple redundancy, if one feed fails, but also means there are two sets of heading and roll data. That allows accurate heel angles to be transmitted.

Data comes off the boats via their own primary UHF system and it is sent by the cellphone network also because it is there.

There are two strategically positioned repeater boats, each with high powered UHF repeater units. All data is combined there and sent to the station on Monte Picayo. All of the combined data is sent via UHF and by satellite. From Monte Picayo it is comes down by microwave link to the Port America’s Cup control room.

Some of the radio signal network was set up for 2006-7 but it is complemented by use of satellite broadband.
“We are using RF and satellite broadband to get the data ashore. This is the first time we have used satellite for a match race, but have used it for round the world races. It is possible that the satellites will be a luxury and RF will cover the whole area. We have our land station up on Monte Picayo. It does a great job and we are covering 90% of the course off our boats but they are flat and stable.” Says Taylor.

On each race boats
“We have really had to put in everything we can. It is interesting but certainly it is the toughest for everyone who is involved here. The time frame is unbelievable, really.”  Concludes Taylor.

Other smaller issues which have been overcome include the lack of information about the boats. To start with this meant the modelers spending time studying photos and on-line videos, but more recently both of the teams have helped with supplying data

And, of course, the modelers – along with the rest of the world – had no real idea of how the two giants would actually look during racing, which sails would be used at what wind angle. But, again, cooperation from the teams should mean the live images should be true to life.

The virtual countdown continues.