Crab: First commercial crab boat to automate the retrieving of a crab cage buoy and the spooling of
its rope. To win this challenge (and Future Challenges #1, #2, and #5), the program must include a learning algorithm, must transmit at least once per operational day what it has learned to the company that developed the program, and download updates from that central server.
Future Challenges:
1) Automate the retrieving of a crab cage from the ship’s deck and then setting, baiting, and releasing it.
2) Automate the crab acceptance/rejection and storage process and then the storage of the crab cage on deck or what’s outlined in Future Challenge #1.
3) Add a durable adhesive covering that effectively heats a crab boat’s hull exterior to prevent and/or get rid of icing.
4) Design a crab cage that can be plugged into the ship’s electrical system to heat itself and prevent and/or get rid of icing. The plugging in of the cage is automated.
5) Automate the entire deck.
6) Operate without a deck crew for an entire season.
7) Operate without a deck crew for three seasons.