a) they can put a laser ring gyro or MEMS 6-DOF sensor on the AC72 for AOA and a host of other variables (likely existed from day 1) b) multiple sensor technologies exist that give you height above water. c) all of it is pretty darn cheap, save a laser ring gyro which is unnecessary (not navigating from point A to point B 3000 miles away)
I've been thinking about this all week, it's really the only solution I can see making a notable speed gain in the short time frame they had to modify the boat. I'm not sure it's class legal, and I'm not sure I believe the report that it's true.
I heard some rumblings that NZ started to lodge a protest (or at least an inquiry) over a system like it a week or so ago and I think they asked for an interpretation of the rules. I think the consensus was that as long as the motive power was from the sailors, that having a computer adjust the position of the foils was OK. I think ironing this out was a big part of Oracle's new found upwind speed.
