snikle

I enjoyed Gleik's "The Information" recently, and enjoyed learning about Shannon. But as an aspiring amateur musician, this is the first I've heard of him being a jazz clarinetist. How much do we learn about this side of him in the book? Did he record any?

Couple of questions....

1) What sensors are being used, or planned to be used? The planning seems to be based off the shoreline, but do you really have access to something that can tell you the shoreline?

2) Quick look at the video seems to show the boat cutting the edge of that island pretty darn closely. If it's a sloping shoreline, I think your simulated boat would pretty surely have run aground on the offshore shallows. If it gets deep there, you're still risking collision by an errant wave or wind driving you in to the shore. What approaches are being considered for safety of the vessel and the things around it?