Over the past couple of years, the Swiss Solar Boat student team has made extensive use of Gomboc to design, test, and compare three different controllers with increasing levels of complexity. These controllers are based on a linearization of the dynamic model provided directly by the simulator, enabling the EPFL student team to rapidly develop robust control strategies consistent with the boat’s expected real-world behavior.
“Having several control options is a major asset for the project: it will allow us, when launching the boat, to identify the controller offering the best performance, while already having a detailed understanding of how it works thanks to the simulation phases.” – Swiss Solar Boat team.
In the coming semester, the team plans to implement a fourth control strategy based on Model Predictive Control (MPC). Also, with the new boat set to be on the water, a key focus will be to define and conduct tests to assess the structural and dynamic limitations of the Gomboc model, with the aim of further reduce the gap between simulation and on-the-water performance.
Beyond its central role in control development, Gomboc has also proven to be a powerful tool for visualization and communication. Notably, the team has created a virtual racing circuit, allowing visitors at exhibitions to take control of the boat in a simulated environment, making the project more tangible, interactive, and accessible to a wider audience.
SumToZero is proud to sponsor such an innovative and driven team. It is truly rewarding to see students pushing the simulator to such advanced technical levels, while also leveraging it as a compelling communication and educational outreach.
