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Products MacArtney introduced FLEXUS, a new data acquisition system. Based on a simple and rugged, yet fl exible remotely operated towed vehicle, the FLEXUS composes a versatile and user friendly system suitable for a multitude of oceanographic, monitor- ing and survey applications. Like the more advanced MacArtney TRIAXUS and FOCUS-2 ROTV sys- tems, FLEXUS is based on a towed vehicle featuring a broad range of in- novative features and benefi ts. The FLEXUS vehicle is suitable for sev- eral mission types including effective and detailed mapping of physical and chemical parameters in the water col- umn. The vehicle can be controlled vertically with an operational envelope of 0-200 m and is able to operate at a tow speed of up to 10 knots and with a vertical speed of up to 1 m/s. In addition, FLEXUS is able to carry out a broad variety of different scientifi c monitoring tasks and can be reconfi gured for new applications. With regards to instrumentation, CTD packages, transmissometers, fl ourme- ters and sensors for PAR, turbidity and dissolved oxygen are among the broad variety of oceanographic equipment mountable onboard the FLEXUS ve- hicle. The system may also be equipped with traditional survey sensors includ- ing side scan sonars. The high level of fl exibility offered by the FLEXUS vehicle is enabled by a powerful Ma- cArtney NEXUS MK E electric mul- tiplexer which comprises the heart and backbone of the FLEXUS system. By means of the NEXUS MK E mul- tiplexer, the FLEXUS vehicle can be used with existing marine winch and cable solutions and coupled with the compact footprint of the vehicle itself, it is fully deployable from even small sized vessels of opportunity. More- over, featuring multiple channels and connectivity options on the subsea multiplexer unit, the NEXUS MK E allows FLEXUS operators to combine systems and sensors in several inge- nious ways to perform an extensive range of operations. While the NEXUS MK E can be used onboard the FLEXUS vehicle, it can also be easily dismounted for use with other applications on other sensor and instrument carrying oceanograph- ic platforms, including CTDs, landers, corers, drop camera systems and cus- tom bottom tow sledges. www.macartney.com Product Spotlight: FLEXUS More than an ROTV Photo: MacAr tne y April 2014 56 MTR MTR #3 (50-64).indd 56 4/9/2014 2:17:18 PM
