{"id":5855,"date":"2013-12-29T21:24:58","date_gmt":"2013-12-29T21:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=5855"},"modified":"2013-12-29T21:24:58","modified_gmt":"2013-12-29T21:24:58","slug":"sci-tech-darpa-overview-of-robotics-challenge-trials-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=5855","title":{"rendered":"Sci-Tech: DARPA overview of Robotics Challenge Trials results"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>DARPA managers seem pleased with the first round of \u00a0<a title=\"www.theroboticschallenge.org\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theroboticschallenge.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Robotics Challenge<\/a>\u00a0(see also <a href=\"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=5796\" target=\"_blank\">earlier post<\/a>):<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.darpa.mil\/NewsEvents\/Releases\/2013\/12\/26.aspx\" target=\"_d\">After Impressive Demonstrations of Robot Skill,<br \/>\nDARPA Robotics Challenge Trials Conclude<br \/>\n<\/a><\/strong><i style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">8 teams eligible to receive up to $1 million to prepare<br \/>\n<\/i><i style=\"line-height: 1.5em;\">for upcoming DRC Finals\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<p>On December 20-21, 2013, 16 teams were the main attraction at the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) Trials, where they demonstrated their prototype robots\u2019 ability to perform a number of critical real-world disaster-response skills. DARPA\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.darpa.mil\/NewsEvents\/Releases\/2013\/12\/21.aspx\">constructed eight tasks<\/a>\u00a0at the Homestead Speedway in Homestead, Fla., to simulate what a robot might have to do to safely enter and effectively work inside a disaster zone, while its operator would remain out of harm\u2019s way.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jeAboVErowE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent&#038;listType=playlist&#038;list=UUOIHBHRbvncMo7Bf0Vx1zEQ\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>After two days of competition, DARPA selected eight teams to receive up to $1 million in funding to continue their work. The scores, out of a total of 32 points, were:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>27 points: SCHAFT (SCHAFT, Inc., Tokyo, Japan)<\/li>\n<li>20 points: IHMC Robotics (Florida Institute for Human &amp; Machine Cognition, Pensacola, Fla.)<\/li>\n<li>18 points: Tartan Rescue (Carnegie Mellon University, National Robotics Engineering Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.)<\/li>\n<li>16 points: Team MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Boston, Mass.)<\/li>\n<li>14 points: RoboSimian (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Los Angeles, Calif.)<\/li>\n<li>11 points: Team TRACLabs (TRACLabs, Inc., Webster, Tex.)<\/li>\n<li>11 points: WPI Robotics Engineering C-Squad (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass.)<\/li>\n<li>9 points: Team Trooper (Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories, Cherry Hill, N.J.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cAt the start of the event, I said that I would be thrilled if even one team scored half the points available,\u201d said\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.darpa.mil\/Our_Work\/DSO\/Personnel\/Dr_Gill_Pratt.aspx\">Gill Pratt<\/a>, the DARPA program manager for the DRC, during the event\u2019s closing ceremony. \u201cThe event exceeded my expectations multiple, multiple times over, with the top four teams each scoring half or more. The success and reliability of the various hardware and software approaches that the teams demonstrated outside their laboratories was tremendous to see in action and sets an important baseline going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A number of teams also received special recognition in conducting the eight tasks based on the number of points received and speed:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Walk Across Rough Terrain; Remove Debris from Doorway; Climb Industrial Ladder; Carry and Connect Fire Hose: SCHAFT<\/li>\n<li>Open Series of Doors; Cut Through Wall: IHMC Robotics<\/li>\n<li>Drive and Exit Utility Vehicle: WRECS<\/li>\n<li>Locate and Close Leaking Valves: Team THOR<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The awards ceremony capped off a second day in which spectators\u2014including many families with children\u2014enjoyed an atmosphere similar to a traditional sporting event, not a scientific exercise. In addition to the Trials, DARPA hosted the DRC Exposition that demonstrated first responder exercises and their technology needs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials Exposition\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe DRC Trials demonstrated the difficulty of having robots conduct seemingly simple tasks in real-world situations, and the participation of the first responder community provided an important illustration of how technology can save lives,\u201d said Brad Tousley, Director of DARPA\u2019s Tactical Technology Office. \u201cThis event was yet another example why challenges work to attract new ideas and help quickly advance technology to solve a focused need.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With the conclusion of the DRC Trials, DARPA and the teams are now looking ahead to the DRC Finals sometime in the next 12-18 months. The Finals will be an opportunity for the eight top teams and the other eight participating teams to continue their efforts alongside new teams to vie for the chance to win the DRC\u2019s $2 million prize.<\/p>\n<p>Pratt has already identified three initial goals for the next competition. \u201cFirst, we\u2019d like the robots to be more stable so they don\u2019t fall, and if they do fall, be more robust so they won\u2019t break,\u201d he said. \u201cSecond, have the robots work without their tethers by using wireless communications and more efficient, self-contained power systems. Finally, we\u2019d like the robots to use more task-level autonomy in unstructured environments such as those found in real disasters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>More information, images and video are available at\u00a0<a title=\"www.theroboticschallenge.org\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theroboticschallenge.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">www.theroboticschallenge.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J2eoU6DIYgM?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DARPA managers seem pleased with the first round of \u00a0The Robotics Challenge\u00a0(see also earlier post): After Impressive Demonstrations of Robot Skill, DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials Conclude 8 teams eligible to receive up to $1 million to prepare for upcoming DRC Finals\u00a0 On December 20-21, 2013, 16 teams were the main attraction at the DARPA Robotics &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=5855\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Sci-Tech: DARPA overview of Robotics Challenge Trials results<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science-and-technology"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p34aWK-1wr","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5796,"url":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=5796","url_meta":{"origin":5855,"position":0},"title":"Sci-Tech: DARPA Robotics Challenge competition in Florida","author":"TopSpacer","date":"December 22, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) Trials\u00a0took place on Friday and Saturday at Florida\u2019s Homestead Miami Speedway. 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