Fifteen Robots Start $1M Race in Mojave

Associated Press ^ | 3/13/04 | ANDREW BRIDGES

[anymouse]

The first of 15 driverless robots began trundling across the Mojave Desert on Saturday in an unprecedented race for $1 million in government-funded prize money.

First out of the gate was Carnegie Mellon University's converted Humvee, nicknamed Sandstorm, which took off at a fast clip. Within 15 minutes it had covered five miles of the roughly 150-mile course.

"That's amazing. It's moving. It's moving. For a million dollars, I'd move too," said spectator Arturo Martinez.

The vehicles were leaving the starting line at staggered times, racing against the clock rather than each other.

The Pentagon's research and development agency plans to award the money to the first team whose microcircuit-and-sensor-studded vehicle can cover the course in less than 10 hours, although those involved say it's unclear if any of the competitors would be able to claim the taxpayer-funded prize.

"I can't tell you today if the vehicles are going to go one mile or 201 miles," Tom Strat, deputy program manager for the race, said as scientists made last-minute adjustments to their robots Saturday morning.

Race organizers deployed eight to 10 tow trucks along the route in anticipation of breakdowns.

Of the 21 teams that attempted to qualify over four days of trials, just seven completed a flat, 1.36-mile obstacle course at the California Speedway in Fontana, east of Los Angeles.

Officials said the vehicles have to average 15 to 20 mph to finish in time.

"The tortoise will win this event. The rabbit will not win," said Col. Jose Negron, race program manager for DARPA, as the Pentagon agency is known.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is sponsoring the Grand Challenge to foster development of autonomous vehicles that could be used in combat. Defense officials foresee using the driverless, remote control-free robots to ferry supplies in war zones.

The agency spent $13 million on the race. It estimates competitors laid out four to five times that amount developing their entries, which rely on global positioning satellites as well as a variety of sensors, lasers, radar and cameras to orient themselves and detect and avoid obstacles.

Carnegie Mellon President Jared Cohon said his school's vehicle cost approximately $3 million, which was contributed by dozens of corporate sponsors.

The on- and off-road course begins in Barstow and ends just across the California state line in Primm, Nev.

To ensure safety, the robots can pause during the race, stopping the 10-hour clock without penalty. That raises the possibility the competition could stretch into Sunday, officials said. A chase vehicle will tail each robot, with a judge ready to hit a kill switch if the robot goes astray.

"There are at least three or four who will have a very good chance of finishing the course; whether they finish it in 10 hours is another question," said DARPA director Tony Tether.

If no one finishes, the agency will host another contest, probably in 2006. ___

On the Net: http://www.grandchallenge.org

[anymouse]

And they're off!

[Xenalyte]

Screw this . . . bring back BattleBots!

[dts32041]

http://www.grandchallenge.org/statusboard/

[Moonman62]

I like these award contests, even if they do go against the big government philosophy of the GOP.

[ElkGroveDan]

trundling across the Mojave Desert on Saturday in an unprecedented race for $1 million in government-funded prize money.

I suppose this is supposed to put a smile on our faces when we file our tax returns four short weeks from now. Yuk, yuk.

[js1138]

Not looking good so far:

Team # Name Miles Along Course Status Update Time
22 Red Team 7 Disabled 08:05:40
21 SciAutonics II 11 Disabled 08:05:40
5 Team Caltech 1 Running 08:05:41
7 Team DAD 6 Running 08:05:41
25 Virginia Tech 0 Disabled 07:58:15
23 Axion Racing 0 Disabled 07:38:10
2 Team CajunBot 0 Disabled 08:05:41
13 Team ENSCO 0 Disabled 08:05:42
4 CIMAR 0 Awaiting Start
10 Palos Verdes RoadWarriors 0 Awaiting Start
17 SciAutonics 0 Awaiting Start
20 Team TerraMax 0 Awaiting Start
15 Team TerraHawk 0 Withdrawn
9 The Golem Group 0 Awaiting Start
16 The Blue Team 0 Awaiting Start

[Fresh Wind]

Which team is Al Gore racing for?

[dts32041]

I'd rather pay for this than rather than for the asses in congress.

[Kadric]

They're down to 4 now and none have gone further than 7 miles.

Team # Name Miles Along Course
7 Team DAD 6
17 SciAutonics 1
20 Team TerraMax 1
9 The Golem Group 1

[Vroomfondel]

Yeah, but I'm curious that the HumVee was the first robot to hit 7 miles and then everyone kind of piled up behind it. Maybe the HumVee blocked the road.

[Kadric]

I doubt it blocked them I've got the Status board up and it updates every 30 seconds. They have got tow trucks on stand by to keep it clear for the follow ups. Also the race officals have 2 options they can delay a vehicle or stop it totally. The Hummer was at that point for a good 20-30 minutes before any other vehicles got close.

[VOA]

I'm not a negative type...but I did get a nice chuckle seeing the Caltech vehicle
crashing during the qualifying run.

I'm sure this is a bigger challenge than it would seem at first blush,
but it does seem suprising to me that one of the real brain-trusts involved didn't
develop a machine that would be a clear winner right out of the gate.

Anyway...good luck to them all; can't wait for the first generation of the next
"force multipliers" such as unmanned ammo/supply carriers (even ambulances) for our military.
(as for ambulances, imagine being able to devote more manpower to medics and when
there's no driver for the bad-guys to shot at)

[Kadric]

Well they're down to 2 now. Team DAD dropped at 6 miles, SciAutonics dropped at 1.
20 Team TerraMax 1 Running 10:45:26
9 The Golem Group 5 Running 10:45:49

[Zeppo]

I think that they're all 'out' (disabled or withdrawn), as of about fifteen minutes ago, if I'm reading the status board correctly...

[PAR35]

I suppose this is supposed to put a smile on our faces when we file our tax returns four short weeks from now. Yuk, yuk

Yes, it's the same outfit that threw away a bunch of taxpayer money on something called the "internet". They thought people would want to waste their money buying computers so that they could communicate with other folks with computers.

[Kadric]

All down and out as of 10:57:22 Pacific Time.

[Zeppo]

Excerpts from an updated Wash Post article:

The Pentagon-sponsored robot race held in Southern California today ended without a winner, as none of the autonomous vehicles built by the 15 qualifying teams was able to travel farther than 7 miles from the starting line.

The odds-on favorite to win the race blew an engine after it traveled just seven miles from the starting line.

. . .

With no winner in today's race, DARPA said the $1 million prize money will roll over to another event in 2006.

[ElkGroveDan]

Nice spin, but that's not how the Internet came to be what it is today.

[Rebelbase]

UH-OH!

Robot Race Ends As All Entries Break Down

[VOA]

Yes, it's the same outfit that threw away a bunch of taxpayer money on something
called the "internet".

I don't know the cost-accounting, but I thought it grew out of ARPANET...developed so
that command and control could be maintained in event of a Cold War
(assumed nuclear) attack.

Of course, it has devolved in some aspects as free communications for academics, etc...