Grand Challenge, 03/13/04

[WhiteThaiGer]

Just got the latest issue of Scientific American, there is a report about robotic 4x4.They feature a team preparing for a race in the Mojave. Vehicles must be fully autonomous. Here is more info about the race:
http://www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge/index.htm

I haven't checked it out much yet. Looks like they'll runbetween Primmand Barstow area. I don't know if there is much to see, but they talk about satellite feeds to the big screens in a casino, there'll also be exhibits.

I'll be home alone during that time, so I am considering going to see what they have. Anyone interested?
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Post Edited (WhiteThaiGer) : 2/19/2004 6:03:54 PM GMT

[alanh]

It sounds pretty cool, but its too far for me in Seattle. Someone on Yotatech or 4x4wire was looking for people to help with the race a while back. (they had enough volunteers)</div>
At least one of the teams is using the VIA EPIA M10000 mini-itx processor board (see http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=392 ) that isone of mycandidates foran on-board computer.</div>
I suppose one can bet on the outcome, thus the displays in the casino?</div>


Alan

[JackSilb]

Hello,

I was part of events like this in the past.
The Red team if formed from people from my previous lab at Carnegie Mellon University. I wish I could go to watch this race. Too much going on at work until 4/15.
If you can make it, it will be a lot of fun.

-JACK


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On Saturday, March 13, the Carnegie Mellon Red Team will attempt a feat that no one else has- race an autonomous robot, named 'Sandstorm', across 210 miles of desert terrain in less than 10 hours. Sandstorm will be competing against 19 other robots in DARPA's (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) $1 million Grand Challenge.

To celebrate the Red Team's accomplishments the Los Angeles and San Francisco alumni chapters invite you to join us for day of events in Las Vegas. This will be a great time to celebrate the accomplishments of the Carnegie Mellon Red Team (whether we win or not), meet alumni from both near and far and, of course, party in Vegas.

Alumni event schedule:

Morning-Early Afternoon Golf Outing (price varies)</b>
We will reserve tee times. Please contact Eric if you're interested to discuss pricing options: edaimler@cs.cmu.edu.

[b]4-7 p.m. Bus Trip to the Finish Line ($15)</b>
Round trip service from Las Vegas to the finish line of the race, near Primm, NV. Timing approximate; depends upon The Sandstorm's starting position.


[b]8-10 p.m. Post Race Celebration at VBar in the Venetian Hotel ($35)</b>
Win or lose this team has much to celebrate. Join fellow alumni in the VIP section at this Vegas hotspot for heavy hors d'oeuvres and open bar. Attendees will also receive an official team t-shirt commemorating the race.


In addition DARPA has planned a series of events in conjunction with the race, from Qualifying trials at the California Speedway in Fontana, to the Early morning race start in Barstow.

For more information and to register for these events, go to <a href ='http://alumni-2k.gsia.cmu.edu/cmuEvents/signup.asp?id=455'> http://alumni-2k.gsia.cmu.edu/cmuEvents/signup.asp?id=455</a> or call Tammy in the Alumni Relations Office at 412-268-1288 or 800-226-8258.

For more information about the team go to: <a href ='http://www.redteamracing.org'> http://www.redteamracing.org</a>.


So much to see, so little time. Try using your 4WD tosee and do more.
[B]Tread Lightly! empowers generations to enjoy the outdoors responsibly...
http://www.4wdtrips.net

[WhiteThaiGer]

Ah man, you got the inside track and could take us close up and now you don't have time! http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/emoticons/banghead.gif


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[JackSilb]

Life is funny. It seems that all the major projects at work happen when there is something cool to do at the same time.
Is this what no pain no gain means?

-JACK


So much to see, so little time. Try using your 4WD tosee and do more.
Tread Lightly! empowers generations to enjoy the outdoors responsibly...
http://www.4wdtrips.net

[WhiteThaiGer]

Well, I logged onto their web site this morning to watch some of the live tracking. After half an hour things stopped moving and I had to leave. When I came back in the evening nothing had moved and there was an update. See on their site.... The best team made 7.4 miles of the 142mile course, another one made it 6.7 miles, the rest crashed in the start area or right after it. I am sure next time it will be more of a race. Jack will be happy to know that the team from his alma mater is the one that made the 7.4miles. They had some 3million $ worth of electronics on that hummer. It ended up getting of course and had somekind of fire...




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[alanh]

It would have been cool to be there and see some of them. I work for Boeing and they provided some of the funding for the Carnegie Mellon team. I caught a little bit of the news, after working today, but didn't see any coverage ofthat specific vehicleso I was wondering what happened. The company web site had a link to a video clip of some testing and it moved right along, but I thought it had a bit of trouble in a corner in the clip. It also rolled in the last few days before the race too and they had to scramble to fix it.The vehiclehad a lot ofsophisticated electronics, butthey had a lot of computing power to help plan the run out too, with aerial photo and map data to crunch once the course was known. I didn't read in detail, but there was some mention of terrabytes of data,and atrailer just for all the pre-processing computersso definitely not something for a small budget. I didn't know before, but there is a Congressional mandate for the military to have something like 30% autonomous (supply only I think) vehicles in a few years and they're trying novel approaches to come up with something that can do it.

Alan

[JackSilb]

I could not make this yet. We had some friends from CMU all planning to meet there ... http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/emoticons/cry.gif
I have been stuck at work these past week with about 14 hour work p/ day. Yesterday we worked 17 hours.
Still fun.

Next year we can plan a trip to the race. I will try to take you the back scenes. Interesting, I hear an interview with Red at PRI the other day. He is thePI for this project and many others cool things you see on the TV. I worked for Red on some projects while at the Field Robotics Center (FRC) at Carnegie Mellon University. http://www.frc.ri.cmu.edu

I am sure next year people will provide an easier route sothe participantscan walk than run.http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/emoticons/ieh.gif

For your information, 11+ years back some autonomous vehicle from CMU drove from DC to CA 97% of the time autonomously (someone needs to stay behind the wheels all the time for safety). There are roads, easier to see the limiting lines ...

The FRC building had all kind of trucks (for military applications, Hondas, under water robots, special 6x6, machines to break nuclear contaminaded buildings, etc.) Really cool! If you like robotics CMU is the place to go.

It was like playing with multi-million dollar toys and meeting the smartest people you ever met in your life. Just like a movie set. My office was inthe planetary robotics building (within FRC). From my window / doorI saw many walking machines crashing, and then improved versionsdoing almost vertical climbs. Let me stop because I can go for along time.

If you know someone looking for a a great graduate school and THE robotics place. Send them to http://www.cmu.edu http://www.ri.cmu.edu.

-JACK

</div>


So much to see, so little time. Try using your 4WD tosee and do more.
Tread Lightly! empowers generations to enjoy the outdoors responsibly...
http://www.4wdtrips.net


Post Edited (JackSilb) : 3/14/2004 5:59:40 AM GMT