Pilothouse - Robotic Sailboat

SRLM

I wanted to share my current project: a robotic sailboat.


Warning: I'm using the Intel Edison as the main controller, since I wanted to experiment with Node.js robotics.
http://srlm.io/2015/07/02/introducing-pilothouse-a-robotic-sailboat/
https://github.com/srlmproductions/pilothouse

The project even made the front page of Instructables!

Publison

Very nice Cody! 
Can you fit a Propeller in there somewhere?

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

I'm jealous! This would be an AWESOME project for the local district's Maritime Initiative Program. I don't know how we'd get funding for it, though. I'm also curious about the curriculum. It looks like it's designed for a handful of full-day sessions, instead of an hour-at-a-time in a classroom environment. Correct?
Do the students build the sailboats themselves from models or are fully-assembled boats provided? I notice that the T37 is mentioned as an option. That's a popular model in these parts, but construction alone would be a full-semester project.
I thought navigating by GPS with twin thrusters was challenging enough, without having to deal with sail trim! I'm impressed!
-Phil

SRLM

@Publison
I'm thinking about it. All that I need is a nice I2C slave object (C++), and I'd be set.
@Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)
You are referring, of course, to the genesis of this project: RoboSail. That's a project that I've volunteered for where we taught high school students basic programming through robotic sailing.
We've run the program three times so far. The format is for 6 sessions, each 3 hours. DIane, the creator of the program, is working on getting it approved by US Sailing to be an official high school program.
3 hours seems to be the right amount. Any longer and the students start to get distracted. An hour would be too short, since on the water time usually accounts for 30-60 minutes during each session.
We've done all the mechanical bits and electronics for the students. We teach them some basics, such as power and servos, but 18 hours isn't enough to really get into electronics. The focus of the course is on programming.
Over the course all the students are able to get up to speed on programming, and get far enough to have an autonomous sail and manually controlled rudder. Some advanced students are able to get further with various challenges.
I spent $1063 on my sailboat, but I think the RoboSail boats come in closer to $500 or less. We have 4 boats right now.
BTW, RoboSail is hosted at Community Boating in Boston.

xanadu

That is awesome! Great video I would have loved to see more of the inside.
Does the GPS stay accurate with it heeled over?

SRLM

@xanadu
I have more pictures of the inside on the Instructable: http://www.instructables.com/id/Pilothouse-Robotic-Sailboat/step3/Modify-the-inside-of-the-boat/
For GPS I'm using the u-blox M8 chipset with a nice big taoglas patch antenna. The module is from CSG Shop (warning: if you buy from them, be prepared to wait for a few weeks. Shipping is slow). The M8 is a GPS/GLONASS compatible chip, so you get lots of satellite reception. In my hand held tests it could reliably measure around 20cm/second.
My next step there is to integrate it with GPSD: http://www.catb.org/gpsd/

erco

THAT is the coolest thing I have seen in a long time. AWESOME job, AWESOME project SRLM!
Now you need to slap a solar cell on that thing and set it to sail across the Atlantic. This British guy has been trying for years but hasn't gotten out of the channel AFAIK.
http://www.tsogpss.co.uk.gridhosted.co.uk/autop.htm