Testing the autonomous boat at Lake Harner (near Purdue), with Lyles CCE students Kendrew Agbemadzo (R) and Andrea Ordonez (2nd from R)

A team consisting of Sam Labi, Professor of Civil Engineering, along with Professors Brittany Newell and Richard Voyles and students from Purdue Polytechnic Institute represented Purdue University at the 2nd Annual Artificial Intelligence Maritime Maneuver Indiana Collegiate Challenge (AIMM-ICC), held April 10-12 at Pokagon State Park in Angola, Indiana. The Boilermaker team placed second in the course challenge and second place in the Overall Grand Champion. The event was hosted by Trine University, in partnership with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane), and supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Members of the Purdue team, along with Lyles CCE undergraduate students Andrea Ordonez, Yuvraj Segal, and Kendrew Agbemadzo were instrumental in field testing the Purdue boat at Lake Harner in the days leading up to the competition. The Purdue team also received support from Tim Murphy of the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana.

AIMM-ICC is a unique initiative funded by the Department of the Navy and Office of Naval Research, providing a low-cost, easy-to-build, low profile vessel (LPV) that is made fully autonomous for a variety of mission sets: supply delivery, stealth missions, locator purposes, and recovery missions. Each university received a LPV (built by Trine University) and sensor package as well as financial stipends to offset materials and labor. The purpose of the challenge was to demonstrate the ability to make a fully autonomous LPV and develop solutions for a mixed set of objectives. Participating universities were: Trine University, Notre Dame University, Purdue University - West Lafayette, Indiana University - Bloomington, and Purdue University Fort Wayne. The event also hosted a DoD career fair and K-12 STEM Activity Day.