Pleasure crafts are spread over all oceans, but most of the time they spend tied to a dock or kept on an anchor. With commonly available sensors, many already installed, these boats can act as a smart sensory network that share data about wind, weather, waves, tide, water depth and so much more. This data is used for better weather and climate forecasts, to create open sea charts, and to make it easier to give your boat away to other people. Constant monitoring assures safety on and off board.
Made on Coboat
Solution
In summary, what is your “Made on Coboat” project idea (max. 3 sentences)?
My project idea to read out Coboat's onboard sensor network, track the boat's motion and exchange this data onboard with smart devices and with a central internet server. This data is vital to oceanographic and atmospheric research institutes, yacht charters, skippers, but also for sea rescue services in case of emergency.
How much of your project can you realistically achieve in 100 days if you will get the chance to stay on the Coboat?
The prototype development is already in a very advanced stage, so on board of Coboat I will concentrate on database, bandwidth-dependent communication, software interface and app development.
Will you complete this project on your own, or will you be working with a together with a team?
I will be working with two co-founders, one is in the automotive onboard networks business and the other in luxury yachts software development.
Why should your project be chosen?
Because it is meant to be on a boat! Because it serves marine environments! It makes life on board easier, so you can do other things while sailing (like working on your startup), even if you're all by yourself.
What does this project mean to you?
It combines my passion, my research and my drive for independent work. I've always had waterlust in my blood and as an avid sailor, kitesurfer, diver and underwater robotics researcher, I think this is just the next step for me.
Why do you want to do this project?
I believe this project can change the way mariners interact with marine environments. I want to raise awareness about the state of the ocean and want everybody to be able to contribute to oceanographic research, just by doing what they love to do. And at some point, the borderline between oceanographic researchers and sailors will blur similarly to how Coboat blurs the line between sailing and working.
Have you used any third-party material? Even if you've modified it, please ensure you source the original here. See FAQ for details.
No
Please tell us a bit about yourself and your professional background. How do you fit into a team? What have you done before within the field of your idea?
I've done research on underwater robotics and unmanned aerial vehicles, worked for Skysails (kite propulsion for cargo ships) and am an avid automation engineer. At the institute of Mechanics and Ocean Engineering, I taught the toughest Mechanics classes and sent the best students to UC Berkeley, where I've been myself for my Diploma Thesis. My professional network in the Bay Area reaches from Tesla, Apple, Google to smaller startups like 3Drobotics, Cruise, LiquidRobotics, SailDrone and others.
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