The Roboat is an autonomous robotic sailboat, which is able to autonomously navigate towards any given target without human control or intervention. The optimal route is calculated by weighting drift coordinates against weather parameters. The rudder and sails as well as the tacks and jibes are autonomously controlled by incoming data from sensors (GPS, compass, anemometer, etc.), which are analysed using artificial intelligence. The Roboat team won the first international Microtransat event in Toulouse, France in June 2006. Microtransat is world's leading competition in autonomous sailing. In September 2007 the InnC team won the Microtransat again on the Irish Sea in Aberystwyth, Wales. And in May 2008 the "ASV roboat" became first World Champion in robotic sailing. The World Robotic Sailing Championship was held on Lake Neusiedl in Austria.
- Intelligent Sensor Buoys: An autonomic sailing boat is completely energy autarkic and can therefore collect unlimited measured data from world’s lakes and seas. In other words this application would make possible that surveying and mapping as well as water ecological studies or recording of fishing resources would be rather cost-effective.
- Safety on Sailing Boats: This technology can be implemented on sailing ships of any sizes. Similar to the ABS or the ESP of the car this Roboat-System can interfere in dangerous situations and help the skipper to get the ship under control again. The system can also detect when the skipper fell overboard and is able to retrieve him automatically and precisely.
- CO2-neutral in Transportation of the Goods: Nowadays with the fuel getting more and more expensive and complying with Kyoto standards is getting more difficult, better alternatives for the transportation of the goods need to be sought. The sailing boats are environment-friendly but they require a rather high number of human resource. Here is where the Roboat-Technology comes into play with its autonomous attributes from calculating the optimal itinerary to independently executing the right manoeuvres.
- Reconnaissance and Surveillance: A Roboat can be sent out to far reaches or dangerous regions. Due to its silent, pilotless and energy self-sufficient attributes the Roboat is a competitive and safe alternative for surveillance of smuggler-boats.
- The Boat as Sailing Instructor: Recording of countless measured values per second makes it possible to analyse by hindsight every sailing maneuver.
- Comfort on Board: The sailor can freely decide which board responsibilities are likely to be taken over and which to be transferred to the Roboat-System. This alternative of delegating the ship can be of great advantage for people with handicaps, injured, ill or exhausted skippers or ships with reduced crew.
- Supply Vessel: Secluded regions with lower number of inhabitants for instance researching base camps on islands can be cost-effectively supplied by the robot sailing boats with equipment, medicine, food or correspondence.
WRSC'09: Tag 9
Nachdem die Wettfahrten der WM an den Vortagen erfolgreich abgeschlossen wurden, stand heute die International Robotic Sailing Conference am Programm. Von 10 bis 18 Uhr fanden präsentierten die einzelnen Teams verschiedene Themen rund um deren Boote und ums Robotersegeln im Allgemeinen. Eröffnet...
[more]WRSC’09 Tag 8 – Roboat bleibt Weltmeister
Wir machten uns für die heutigen Wettfahrten bereit und gingen kurz vor 9 zum Hafen. Beim anschließenden Briefing durch die Wettfahrtjury wurden die Bojenkoordinaten bekannt gegeben. Um 10 Uhr befanden sich fast alle Teams im Wasser und warteten auf das Startsignal.Wie auch am Vortag übernahm die...
[more]WRSC'09 Tag 7 - Roboat gewinnt die ersten beiden Wettfahrten
Um 9:30 fanden wir uns zum Eröffnungsmeeting des Wettbewerbs im Hafen ein. Hierbei wurde die Jury vorgestellt und die Regeln und der Ablauf noch einmal erläutert. Danach gaben wir die Bojen-Koordinaten ein und bereiteten die Bootssoftware auf die Regatta vor. Kurz darauf fuhren wir mit dem...
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