A fleet of “roboats” are coming to Amsterdam to make it easier to get all that garbage that people throw into the canals, exploring the city through the extensive waterways, and more.
They are going to be automated boats which will be able to latch onto one and another, making it easier to make bridges and the like. Thank god for technology making things easier for us!
These roboats are the brainchild of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions. The technology was developed by MIT which “permits the autonomous boats to target and latch onto each other”, says Digital Journal.
How are the roboats going to work?
These fleets of automated boats will come together to make “floating bridges and stages; plus carry out useful functions like collecting waste, delivering goods, and transporting people. At the same time, the roboats will be collecting data about the city, helping with a smart city project.”
They have already tested a prototype which can move in any direction. They have also 3D printed one-quarter scaled versions which are 4-by-2 meters which have sensors, GPS, amongst other things. In theory, these roboats are able to latch onto a predetermined location through control algorithms and software with excellent accuracy. So the project is well underway!
What do you make of this newest addition to the canals? Do you think it’s necessary, or do you think we can do without? Would this enhance your experience on the canals, or not? One thing’s for certain though: if this is a massive success, we will hopefully soon see cleaner canals! Let us know what you think in the comments below!
