The International Maritime RobotX Competition (Looking to 2018!)

Funded by the Office of Naval Research, Run by AUVSI

In October 2014, MIT and Olin College participated in (and won) the First International Maritime RobotX Competition. We were unable to compete in the 2016 competition in Oahu Hawaii, but we are preparing to return and compete in 2018. The 2014 WAM-V vessel continues to be operated at MIT by the MIT SeaGrant College Program, in the Reef Explorer project and the Boston Harbor RoboChallenge project. Much of the MIT autonomy code developed for RobotX 2014 is available through the MIT open source marine autonomy project, www.moos-ivp.org. Some information from 2014 is below.

The Mission (from 2014)

Approximately 15 teams of students from five Pacific Rim countries – U.S., Singapore, Australia, South Korea and Japan – will use a standardized boat that will be provided by the competition organizers and compete in October of 2014 in Singapore in the first-ever Maritime RobotX Challenge. By providing the teams with a standard platform (boat), the Competition will focus on sensors, software and propulsion. “RobotX”, sponsored by the U.S. Office of Naval Research and run by the AUVSI Foundation, has two primary objectives: to create a pinnacle STEM student outreach event and promotion of interest among Pacific national partners in the science and technology of autonomous systems.

Videos (from 2014)

The Goal (from 2014)

The competition’s primary goal is to increase student interest in autonomous robotic systems operating in the maritime domain, with an emphasis on systems engineering and the science and engineering of autonomy. The Maritime RobotX Challenge will stimulate innovative approaches to autonomous sensing, on-board decision-making, and mission implementation. It will promote international cooperation in the Pacific region among communities engaged in the science and technology of maritime autonomous systems.


Principal Investigators / POCs (2018):

  • Henrik Schmidt, henrik@mit.edu
  • Michael Benjamin, mikerb@mit.edu
  • Paul Robinette, paulrobi@mit.edu
  • Michael Novitzky, novitzky@mit.edu
  • Michael Defilippo, mikedef@mit.edu

Photos (from 2014)