How to make the invisible visible? To the Genoa International Boat Show we have supported SAIM Spa to explain, in a clear and engaging way, how theOPMS (On-board Power Management System): a system that automatically manages loads and energy sources on board a yacht. A powerful device but, by its nature, "abstract" and hard to explain in person. The Mixed Reality overcomes this limitation by turning the system into an interactive, tangible, and memorable experience.
The context: why it's difficult to explain power management
The OPMS is tasked with orchestrating multiple sources (generators, battery, photovoltaic panels, shore power pedestal) and to automatically balance and power the onboard "hotel" loads. In a traditional demo, all this stays confined to charts or diagrams. In MR instead, the states, flows, and the system's logical choices become space, light and action.
Metagate's solution for SAIM
We’ve put together a set in Mixed Reality that recreates a yacht’s energy ecosystem:
- Physical/holographic energy sources: two generators, a battery bank, a solar panel and an offshore charging station.
- Speaker cables: each element is connected to the virtual case of theOPMS from cables that they light up to show, in real time, which source is supplying energy based on the mode selected on the OPMS MR monitor.
- Holographic yacht: From the OPMS, an additional cable runs to the digital yacht; here the visitor can enable hospitality (air conditioning, lights, services) and simulate different levels of absorption.
The result is a clear representation: when the user changes scenario (shore power connected, high load, navigation), OPMS reacts. In the simulation you can see which source comes into play, how it turns out battery charging prioritized or his use to support the peaks, and with which logic balancing takes place.
What the visitor experiences
- Select a mode on the OPMS MR monitor.
- Observe the flows: the cables light up from the battery or generators toward the OPMS, or from the charging station, according to the defined priorities.
- Activate loads on the yacht: increases the hospitality industry's absorption and sees the OPMS change strategy, switching, for example, from charging to discharging, or by adding a backup generator.
The technology “disappears” behind a visual storytelling: concepts such as priorities, thresholds, transitions and failover become sequences intuitive, understandable even for a non-technical audience.
1:1 scale: from concept to clearance checks (on yachts, every millimeter counts)
We chose to represent all the elements at 1:1 scale. This makes the experience not only educational, but design-related: on board, where spaces are tight and layered, to be able to view and move generators, batteries, OPMS, panels and charging station at their actual size makes it possible to assess overall dimensions, clearances, and opening radii even before building or taking something apart.
Basically, the assets become a modular puzzle: you position them, rotate them, and “slot” them in until each component finds its place without conflicts with bulkheads, lockers, plumbing systems, or conduits. This approach speeds up:
- Clash detection (physical interference) during the pre-sales or refit phase.
- Ergonomics and maintenance (space for filter extraction, disassembly, spare parts).
- Cable routing and ventilation, often overlooked in 2D views.
- Decision sharing among the technician, sales, and the shipowner, all on the same “twin” in MR.
Result: fewer surprises on the construction site, short timeframes of installation, faster decisions and an electrical layout optimized down to the millimeter — as required by the marine industry.
Why it is an effective case study
- Instructional clarity: the MR removes the abstraction of diagrams and makes see the decisions of OPMS.
- Trust and transparency: SAIM can demonstrate the value of automatic load control without disassembling a real system.
- Trade show-proof engagement: the experience is replicable, scenic and it also works in noisy, crowded environments such as a boat show.
- Faster purchase decisions: once you experience it, you get it right away benefits and differences compared to less integrated solutions.
Impact on the marine industry
Making energy management “visible” means raise the bar of onboard technical communication: shipyards, refitters, and shipowners can assess electrification and hybridization strategies with a immediate understanding compromises between range, comfort, space and sustainability. It is a concrete step toward yachts more efficient and intelligent.
Other areas of application in this field, in our opinion, will be:
- in training and scenario simulations and in maintenance
- in entertainment: let’s imagine reliving a naval battle at the very spot where it happened!
Conclusions
A sincere thank you to SAIM for the trust and for the opportunity to present a mixed experience at an international event of the caliber of the Genoa International Boat Show. It was exciting to see a team SAIM so engaged and determined, and collect the positive reactions of the end users, who received a highest OPMS value and they complimented us on the quality of the experience.
We couldn't have asked for more: a project that brings together technical clarity, visual impact, and practical utility.
Sign up for the newsletter for all the benefits!
For videos of our experiences, follow us on Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
You can find our contact details on the Linktree or contact us!
1 comment
Grande Marco, è stata un’esperienza incredibile! Chi ha provato il sistema ne è rimasto entusiasta e soprattutto i tecnici dei reparti R&D dei cantieri hanno apprezzato moltissimo non solo il concept ma anche la qualità della realizzazione in MR.
Metagate ha fatto un lavoro eccellente e possiamo sicuramente dire che questo è il fondamento di un nuovo modo di interpretare il business model del System Integrator.