MassRobotics is partnering with a group from Abu Dhabi to organize another biennial edition of the MBZIRC Maritime Grand Challenge, also known as the Mohammed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge.
The organizers say it is a global competition “designed to push the boundaries of autonomous robotics” and features a total prize purse of over $3 million.
The challenge, open to universities, research centers, companies, and individual innovators, calls for collaboration between unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned surface vehicles to perform complex navigation and manipulation tasks in a GNSS-denied environment at sea to detect unfriendly vessels and move or capture cargo.
There’s not much time left to enter.
Each participating team is required to register online and submit their white papers by January 31st, 2022.
The white paper should describe the team, its background in swarm robotics, computer vision, simultaneous localisation and mapping, marine vehicles and communications, along with a proposed technical approach.
In August, shortlisted semi-finalist teams will complete inspection and intervention tasks via simulation in the presence of a judging committee. Proof-of-concept videos on different subcomponents of their system need to be submitted to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach used.
Live demonstrations will be held over several days in a specially designated marine area off the coast of Abu Dhabi, when five finalist teams will put their systems to the test.
Participants will have the chance to compete for a $2 million first prize; $500,000 second prize, and $250,000 third prize.
