Robots set sail in Microtransat Challenge

Having already proven their worth on the land in various Grand Challenges, robots are now setting out to conquer the open seas, with the first Microtransat Challenge now getting underway in the Irish Sea off Aberystwyth. From the sound of it, however, this year's competition is just setting the stage for next year's race, when larger boats will set sail from France and hopefully find their way across the Atlantic to the finish line in the Caribbean, relying primarily on wind speed and GPS to stay on track. According to the BBC, the boats will also have to be self-sufficient in terms of energy, and they'll need to be less than 4 meters in length (about 13 feet). No word on what's in store for the winner, but it looks like the competition is still open for anyone looking to give it a shot.

[Via Waziwazi]

[ADRIAN GUILLEN @ Sep 5th 2007 11:23AM]

OMg !!! how cool

[RazorD @ Sep 5th 2007 11:25AM]

Yay! I go to uni in Aberystwyth. It finally has some geek fame!

[StevenAFC @ Sep 5th 2007 11:36AM]

I went to Uni there also, just finished my Law degree this year! Show Aber some love people, I will never forget the sticky floors of The Angel.

[MonoTovarisj @ Sep 5th 2007 11:40AM]

Hmm .. 4m long thats a pretty small boat for the atlantic ocean. I would make it a sub :) ofcorse subs might not be able to get at gps signal :)

[jimmyfinch @ Sep 5th 2007 9:36PM]

You are right.

That is why "...this year's competition is just setting the stage for next year's race, when larger boats will set sail from France and hopefully find their way across the Atlantic to the finish line in the Caribbean...".

BTW a mini sub with floating antennae could receive GPS signals.

[jd @ Sep 5th 2007 12:03PM]

OMG!

This is so interesting. If i understand this correctly, they just let the boats out and greet them at the the Caribbean.

It is like around the world in 30 days.

Here is the big deal:
can we build bigger boats like this, and then let them go out and harvest the solar and wing energy and then bring the energy back to us?

[dfivetwo @ Sep 5th 2007 3:24PM]

first thing i thought about when reading that was the harvesters in command and conquer... i like! :P

[Wontoncookie @ Sep 5th 2007 2:56PM]

I think Engadget needs to make a team to enter. Are we allowed to have some remote options on it to recover unit ? Can it be a Sub ?