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The âGrand Challengeâ Robot Vehicle Race
September 14, 2005: DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is holding itâs second âGrand Challengeâ race, on October 8th, for developers of UGV (unmanned ground vehicles.) DARPA is offering a two million dollar prize for the first UGV to complete the 280 kilometer course, in less than ten hours. The race, first held last year, has not yet been won. The actual course is not announced until two hours before the race begins, but the finalists are told what general area to be in several weeks before the race. This is done so participants cannot electronically survey the course, and simply program an UGV on how to best navigate it. The purpose of the Grand Challenge is to motivate vehicle manufacturers to create the technology the Department of Defense wants for large UGVs that can carry supplies and equipment without the need for drivers. In theory, this capability has been possible for several years. But no one has actually done it yet. Research on this subject has been going on for decades. DARPA was correct in assuming that the Grand Challenge would get the creative juices going, and cost the government little. Participants get no money from the government, unless they win. And if they do win, military vehicle manufacturers will be very interested in buying the technology that made it possible. Naturally, many military vehicle manufacturers have entries in the Grand Challenge. Oshkosh Truck, for example, has partnered with electronics manufacturer Rockwell Collins, and artificial intelligence experts from the University of Parma, Italy, to produce TerraMax. This vehicle has, in the last few months, consistently moved over cross-country routes at 31 kilometers an hour (and sometimes as fast as 56 kilometers an hour), meaning itâs a contender for winning the prize. TerraMax has sensors and an onboard computer that monitor the pitch and roll of the vehicle, as well as how close it is to the edge of the road, or any obstacles, and adjusts steering and speed accordingly. TerraMax has been so fast at times that the SUV âchase carâ could not keep up. Thatâs because TerraMax has no people on board, and a better suspension system for dealing with the rough terrain. The TerraMax vehicle is basically a six wheeled Oshkosh âMedium Tactical Vehicle Replacementâ (MTVR), and weighs over 14 tons, and is the largest race participant. In the first race last year, no vehicle completed the course. In fact, the best any vehicle could do was 23 kilometers (about ten percent of the entire course.) This year, several participants feel they can not only finish, but do it quickly enough to win the prize. Posted by: Steve 2005-09-14 |
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