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Squad Up
Amsterdam is funding research conducted by MIT scientists to build self-driving mini-barges, known as "roboats", to navigate its canals and make better use of neglected waterways for roads.
Now graduate student Luis Mateos has built a new algorithm that orders robots to automatically lock together, according to a MIT press release. Boats can currently be combined into freestanding barges, but Mateos is considering a future in which freestanding boats could create temporary bridges or temporary spaces to make waterways more accessible without the need for new urban infrastructure.
The new locking system forces several robots to form automatically – the algorithm, shared online, ensures that each roboat connects before the next approach.
"In difficult waters, today's quarter-scale rescue ships are sometimes not powerful enough to withstand gusts of wind or strong currents," Mateos said in the press release. "A logical component of the robot says," You missed, so save, recalculate your position and try again. "
First steps
For now, scientists are working with prototypes of 15 square feet, a quarter of the size of a final product envisioned. These small-scale motorboats could unite to haul trash and other goods on the canals, while larger models could do more.
"The goal is to use robots to bring new water capabilities to life," said Daniela Rus, a robotics engineer at MIT, in a press release. "The new locking mechanism is very important for creating contextual structures. Roboat does not need lock for stand-alone water transport, but you need lock to create any structure, whether mobile or stationary. "
READ MORE: Self-propelled vessels can target and take each other [MIT]
More about robots: While autonomous cars hit roadblocks, autonomous boats could reduce traffic on the streets
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