Self-driving boats have the ability to play the role of bridges

Thanks to 3D printing, the production of fake limbs, lightweight EV parts, and even space travel benefit from low-cost products.

Taking advantage of this technology, a team of researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) created a "fleet" of self-driving boats, opening up an interesting look. position on the future of self-propelled transport.

Self-driving 3D printing boat.

Unlike other boats in the form of bends, these 3D printed boats have a rectangular structure - an innovative design feature that allows it to move freely in both directions, attached to objects. otherwise, and most particularly, putting multiple boats together to create floating bridges or platforms for water music events and mobile food markets. To do this, the researchers printed a rectangular hull and connected 16 different hulls into a long chain. They are very flexible and well-supported thanks to the four propulsion engines that are rationally arranged and can glide smoothly on the water surface. Each hull is 4 x 2 meters in size, equipped with a power supply, radio and mobile frequency phases, and a Wi-Fi antenna.

"Imagine we can move some of the infrastructure services that normally take place during the day - like delivery, waste and waste management services . - midnight, on the face. water, using an army of self-propelled boats, "said Daniela Rus, director of CSAIL. In addition to minimizing traffic congestion, an important benefit of 3D printing boats is its self-reliance: transport operations that require human control can now be independently controlled, carried the potential to reduce water related accidents.

These 3D printed boats have a rectangular structure.

Of course, there is still much to do before those boats are officially put into operation. The team understands the big difference between people and goods that need to be transported. Switching from 3D design to real product will require thorough testing, especially positioning and orientation. Now they have tried to transport goods on a small scale, but the challenge now is whether the algorithm to control those 3D boats still works correctly when their size increases or not?