'Short' autonomous drive in Grand Challenge likened to Wright brothers' first flight

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7 April 2004 News

Although none of the robotic vehicle entrants of the DARPA-sponsored Grand Challenge race ( www.grandchallenge.org) on 13 March came close to claiming the million dollar prize for the first unmanned vehicle to traverse 227 km of desert terrain, Strategy Analytics does not see this as a technological failure.

This race - the first of its kind - is a benchmark test for navigation and obstacle-avoidance capabilities in autonomous robotic technology, where 15 robotic ground vehicles attempted to navigate a rugged desert course. The vehicle to most quickly complete the route in less than the prescribed time of 10 hours would receive the $1 million cash prize.

The course across the Mojave desert included well-travelled utility roads, hair-pin bends, severe elevation changes, blind turns and sheer drops. Approximately three hours before the start, participants were given a CD containing the latitude and longitude of approximately 2000 GPS waypoints, and speed limits for various legs of the route.

Carnegie Mellon's 'Red Team' had the best performance with its heavily adapted Humvee dubbed 'Sandstorm' outfitted with laser, sonar and stereoscopic cameras ( www.redteamracing.org). Even though their vehicle may have only travelled 11,8 km, Strategy Analytics says that this performance ranks with the Wright brothers' first 36,58 m flight - and is 'a dramatic proof of concept'.]

Red Team’s ‘Hummer’ – after 11,8 km, on switchbacks in a mountainous section, it drove off course, got caught on a sand ridge and the rubber on the front wheels caught fire

According to Strategy Analytics, contestants need to improve in three areas to win the Grand Challenge Race within the next few years: fewer general mechanical, electronic, and electrical glitches; faster processing of sensor inputs and command responses; and better approaches for navigation and obstacle avoidance.

SciAutonics II – two-thirds the way up Daggett Ridge, after 10,7 km, (second furthest) it drove into an embankment and became stuck

With the failure of any of the Robots designed for the DARPA Challenge to actually complete the course, spoof website, www.thespoof.com, suggests that the DARPA military think tank host another competition for the 'Specially Challenged Robot'.

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'Short' autonomous drive in Grand Challenge likened to Wright brothers' first flight

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