This challenge sounds like fun all around. As far as how to design software to accomplish a task like this I have designed just a system(ERC), twice in fact. It is relatively simple to write software to collect data from sensors but the hard part is normally distributing and analyzing that data. The system that I helped write is called ERC or Extensible Robot Core. ERC allows data to be collected and analyzed by several machines in an effort to map the robots environment. A task like sailing seems like a much simpler one than what I have been developing code for as I doubt a sailBot would need to map building techniques such as SLaM.
Additionally, I would think that the number of sensors would be very low; a GPS unit, some way of measuring wind speed and direction, and a magnetic compass to keep track of your heading should do it, plus some odds and ends(potentiometers and encoders) to keep track of the positions of all your actuators. On the computation side of things I would think that you could pull this off with nothing but embedded micro-controllers, though it would be easier with a small PC. I personally would opt for a small ITX PC or smaller with one or two micro-controllers to interface between actuators and their feed back sensors.
All in all this sounds like a very doable and fun challenge, wish I could participate, I'd love to teach my PC to sail!
...Until they identify you and inform you that the fastest route to your destination just happens to take directly on to a road that has been blocked by the cops.
I am in 11th grade and I love the FIRST Robotics competition. I have been the programmer for my team for 3 years. If there is a needy team near you you my consider finding teams to mentor or even build a cometition that uses older FIRST robots.
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Why anyone is celebrating now is beyond me, the real date is the 42nd anniversary.
This challenge sounds like fun all around. As far as how to design software to accomplish a task like this I have designed just a system(ERC), twice in fact. It is relatively simple to write software to collect data from sensors but the hard part is normally distributing and analyzing that data. The system that I helped write is called ERC or Extensible Robot Core. ERC allows data to be collected and analyzed by several machines in an effort to map the robots environment. A task like sailing seems like a much simpler one than what I have been developing code for as I doubt a sailBot would need to map building techniques such as SLaM. Additionally, I would think that the number of sensors would be very low; a GPS unit, some way of measuring wind speed and direction, and a magnetic compass to keep track of your heading should do it, plus some odds and ends(potentiometers and encoders) to keep track of the positions of all your actuators. On the computation side of things I would think that you could pull this off with nothing but embedded micro-controllers, though it would be easier with a small PC. I personally would opt for a small ITX PC or smaller with one or two micro-controllers to interface between actuators and their feed back sensors. All in all this sounds like a very doable and fun challenge, wish I could participate, I'd love to teach my PC to sail!
I Want To Read The Fucking Article but I can't! Anyone wanna give some helpful insight?
Well do they keep out sand?
...Until they identify you and inform you that the fastest route to your destination just happens to take directly on to a road that has been blocked by the cops.
I am in 11th grade and I love the FIRST Robotics competition. I have been the programmer for my team for 3 years. If there is a needy team near you you my consider finding teams to mentor or even build a cometition that uses older FIRST robots.