Students on the Applied Engineering programme at the University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen) are currently testing their solar-powered boat on the Riverr Scheldt. On Sunday, they will set off with for a solar-powered boat competition in Monaco. There, the boat will sail completely autonomously with the help of AI.
Antwerp engineering students test high-tech solar-powered boat on the River Scheldt
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On Antwerp’s Left Bank engineering students from Antwerp University are preparing their solar-powered boat for the competition in Monaco with a series of test runs. Solar Team UAntwerp’s Bram Dupré told VRT News that "Today we are mainly testing how we can work out how to avoid the buoys. The programming is not easy, but I think we will be able to achieve a good result in the end."
Next week, the students will take part in a race in Monaco. By then boat will need to be able to navigate a course autonomously without crashing into any obstacles that it might encounter. Each of the students on the team contributed to the programming of the hi-tech vessel.
Toon Lambers of Solar Team UAntwerp told VRT NWS that "Each piece works individually, the pieces of the puzzle are there, but the puzzle still has to be put together. Putting the puzzle together is probably one of the most difficult parts of the project. But it's very interesting to be a part of."
Using AI, boats can become safer and navigate better. However, all this requires a lot of energy. Optimising energy consumption to make it a least match or even become lower than what the boat’s solar panels produce is one of the major challenges the team faced. However, with their innovative skills and expertise they have every confidence that this can be achieved in time for next week’s race.