Video of the week: Roboat navigates Amsterdam's canals

Roboat marks the final project from a team made up of scientists from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the Senseable City Laboratory, together with Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute).

Last year, the team released their half-scale model that was 2m long and demonstrated promising navigational ability. This year, two full-scale Roboats were launched that are capable of carrying up to five people, collect waste, deliver goods, and – as the video shows - provide on-demand infrastructure. The fully electric Roboat is capable of 10 hours of operation and can be recharged wirelessly.

“We now have higher precision and robustness in the perception, navigation, and control systems, including new functions, such as close-proximity approach mode for latching capabilities, and improved dynamic positioning, so the boat can navigate real-world waters,” said Daniela Rus, MIT professor of electrical engineering and computer science and director of CSAIL. “Roboat’s control system is adaptive to the number of people in the boat.”