Sail Challenge 1.0 Released by ANNEvolve Project

Welcome to the Sail Challenge 1.0. See if you have what it takes to create a virtual sailboat controller. We have included an example controller and the sailboat physics model from our EvSail program to get you started. The example controller is an artificial neural network, but yours may be hand coded, or use any technology that appeals to you. You may even use the EvSail software to create a better one that we have!

There is a circular island, which the sailboat is supposed to circle in the contra-clockwise direction, and not crash on the beach. The program will start the sailing run from a random starting position. The wind will vary in a semi-realistic manner, gradually changing in strength and direction. Your task is to create, by any method you wish, a replacement for the controller function. A successful controller() function will efficiently circle the island, always moving contra-clockwise in spite of varying winds.

When you are done, and think you have created something as good or better than our controllers, then lets compare yours to ours. By doing so you can help in our experiment of creating a virtual yachtsman.

This program contains 4 small files released as SailChallenge-1.0 at:

Annevolve team members created controllers that sail around the island better than 85% of the time. We know this figure can be improved upon, so show us your stuff and start creating your own virtual yachtsman.

More information about this challenge can be found in the ReadMe file included with the program at:

The Annevolve team is experimenting with the Evolution of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). They are combining the two fields of Evolutionary Computation and Artificial Neural Networks. Find out more about EvSail and other ANN programs at the Annevolve project at: