AquaPack Robotics is a student-run 501©(3) organization affiliated with North Carolina State University. We were founded in 2004 and are always open to new members from any major; all we ask is that they are passionate about robotics.

Building a robot is an iterative and ever-evolving process. Currently, we are working on improving the current iteration of AquaPack’s SeaWolf platform: SeaWolf VIII, and developing our upcoming robot, Sea Wolf IX. As we are always looking for ways to improve every little detail of our robots, each version of SeaWolf constitutes a complete rebuild of the platform— SeaWolf IX will continue this trend, improving upon SeaWolf VIII’s bulky size while maintaining it’s modularity and robust system integration.

Outside of our robot, our organization works together to improve our technical skills and spread our passion for robotics throughout the community. We often take our robot to outreach events, ranging from NC State Open Houses to giving elementary school students the opportunity to get involved in robotics at an early age.

Our annual goal is to successfully compete with SeaWolf in the RoboSub robotics competition, an annual competition that will be held in Irvine, California in August, 2025.

RoboSub is an annual competition typically held in late July - early August. It includes schools from around the world and tasks them with building fully autonomous underwater robots (AUVs). These robots must perform a wide array of tasks, with the specifics of said tasks changing annually. Historically, tasks have included challenges such as Gate, Buoy, Path, Bins, Torpedoes, and Octagon. For more information about tasks, visit the RoboSub website.

Tasks

• Gate

  Gate is a task that require an AUV to pass beneath a submerged “gate” that is moored to the bottom of the underwater environment. As long as the entirety of the AUV goes through the gate between the pillars, the AUV can pass through the gate at any depth. AUVs can also pass through the gate with ‘style’ by rotating 90 degrees or more before returning to their original orientation.

• Coin Flip

  Coin Flip is an optional task, where teams can request a ‘coin flip’ at the start of a competition run which determines the starting orientation of the AUV. Heads means that the AUV starts parallel to the gate, and Tails means that the AUV is positioned backwards.

• Slalom

  Slalom is a task where AUVs are required to navigate through a channel of vertical PVC pipes. There are three groups of three pipes- the outer two pipes of each row are white, while the inner pipes are red. The AUV should pass through one column of pipes while staying within the area between them.

• Path

  Path is a task that requires an AUV to follow a set pathway defined by orange markers placed on the bottom of the environment. These markers are placed directly after each of the other tasks, and help guide the AUV towards the next area of the course.

• Bin

  Bin is a task that consists of a single bin secured to the bottom of the environment. Each half of each of the bin has a different image, and the AUV must drop up to two markers into the bin.

  • Torpedoes

  Torpedoes is a task that consists of a vertical board with images on one side and several openings outlined in red. The AUV must navigate to the torpedoes board and fire projectiles through the holes in the board from a ‘close’ or ‘far’ distance.

• Octagon

Octagon is a task in which a 9 ft diameter octagon floats on the surface of the environment, overtop of a table which rests at the bottom of the environment. The AUV must sort items that are sitting on the table into two baskets attached to the table, and then surface inside of the octagon.

• Return Home

Return Home is a task in which the AUV has the option to pass back through the starting gate at the end of a competition run.

To see this year’s tasks and competition details, check out the newest version of the Robosub Handbook!