This is a video of the final version of our boat in the Charles River. The sails did not turn because there was barely any wind.

This is a video of the final version of our boat in the Charles River. The sails did not turn because there was barely any wind.

Today we worked on lazer cutting our hull and finalizing our 1st version of our Tri-sail Generator™. We were able to lazer cut our base the day before, and finished our electronics on the sail today. Above is 2 pictures of our finalized Tri-sail Generator™. 

Today we decided to change our hull design to make it more "stream-line" and smaller. Our hull has been lazercut and the glue is drying. We have also lazercut a rough design of our underwater turbine that will be mounted on the bottom of our catamaran. Next week we hope to complete our final design before Friday to be able test it on Friday and fix it up. I'll keep you updated! -Tyler :D

Today we worked on building bigger sails and completing our hull. We got our fully glued hull today, and waterproofed it with a sealent. The hull was fully waterproof when we tested it and we connected them together so they could be called a "cat." Tomorrow we plan to make our Tri-sail generator™ produce electricity. :D -Tyler

In 2016, the majority of our travel happens on the ground with cars and trucks. As urban areas worldwide develop and densify, and congestion and traffic intensifies, cities are exploring other transportation possibilities - on the open waters! Whether it’s ferries, khlong boats, Haabjas, or tetrapak boats, water-based transport can become a key connector within a city’s larger transportation network. How can robotic boats be the future mode of transport? Can “roboboats” be used to do things that are only done on land today? How can these boats be designed to support varying needs and become the next wave of untapped transport? Sail your way through this studio by imagining futuristic visions of robotic boats and other water-based transport!

In this Studio, students will be constructing lightweight and agile remote-control (RC) models of electric robots that maneuver, turn and speed across the water! Students will learn about all the components that make a boat glide across the open waters: sail, mast, hull, decking, electronics, actuation (motors), rudder, power, communication (radio signals), sensing, and robotic intelligence! Students will ride the waves of radio frequency and modulation, thus understanding how transmitters and receivers communicate. Other topics of discussion include on-water maneuverability and sail control, how RC models compare to full-sized boats, and levels of robotic intelligence (automaton, remote control, teleoperation, full autonomy). Students will experience the hands-on joy of soldering, drilling, and building circuits before getting the boats ready for a final exhibition in a Robo Boat showdown!

Register here!

Focus Skills/Subjects/Technologies:

  Design

  Physics (Electricity, Magnetism)

  Engineering

  Programming

  Electronics

   Robotics (Arduino, Sensors, Actuators)

   Digital Fabrication (Laser-cutting, 3d Printing)

   3d Modeling

Prerequisites:

• Enrolling students must be between the ages of 11 to 18 (middle and high school students)