Sailing Robots To Attempt Atlantic Crossing

Roland Piquepaille writes "The Times of London reports that seven robotic craft will compete in a race across the Atlantic Ocean in October 2008. One of them, 'Pinta the robot sailing boat,' has been designed at Aberystwyth University in Wales. Pinta is expected to sail for three months at a maximum speed of four knots (about 7.4 kph). Its designers hope the Pinta will become the first robot to cross an ocean using only wind power. This 150-kilogram sailing robot costs only $4,900. The transatlantic race will start between September 29 and October 5, 2008 from Portugal. The winner will be the first boat to reach a finishing line between the northern tip of St. Lucia and the southern tip of Martinique in the Caribbean. Here are additional details and links."

Comments

Re:how about something a bit simpler

[MagdJTK]

I'm no expert on robotics, but surely building a house is surely far harder than crossing the Atlantic for a robot?

Building a house requires all sorts of considerations about the land beneath it and requires a number of different skills.

Crossing the Atlantic requires going in a straight line for as long as possible.

Re:how about something a bit simpler

[HateBreeder]

It's all about money, right?

So if the defense department or the military will sponsor this, then its most likely to be something of use to them.

I think you should complain to construction or realestate companies,for not putting money into robotics.

The good part is that these things advance the state of robotics and will make a house building robot a little bit easier to design.

Re:how about something a bit simpler

[D-Cypell]

Building a house easier for a robot than crossing the atlantic? I have my doubts about that, even if you mean 'low grade' housing for use in the third world. Also, if a robot fails a sinks halfway across the atlantic, a few students get disappointed. If a robot fails, and the house it built a few days earlier falls and kills the family living inside, the implications are orders of magnitude more severe.

Also, I do see robotic ocean crossing as something useful and productive, but in addition, bear in mind that it is often the component parts that make real advancements in challenges like this. Power technology, navigation technology etc. Often the actual goal is secondary.

Re:It's a bit small!

[ZorbaTHut]

If it's buoyant, watertight, and has an appropriate center of gravity, then it'll usually right itself if it capsizes. If it's equipped with some device to "flip it over" on the off chance that it doesn't do so automatically, it could easily make it the entire way - the only risk would be damage from storms or running out of power.