DARPA Grand Challenge Photos

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by miketwalker

Wow, there were only 3 entries? I would've assumed many more people would have gotten in on that. Good luck to you guys! I hope Bob does awesome!

No, there are over twenty teams.

-Kevin

[David the bomb]

Dude, those are awesome. I think I saw something on the news about this. Is that true or no. It might have been something different. Anyway, those are awesome

[sanddrag]

What is team Caltech doing for gas storage? I didn't see any large tanks or anything. Is the stock tank enough? Also, if the engine dies, do you have automatic restart attempts? Last, did you modify the suspension at all. Also, I'm curious of how it shifts (what type of linkage and actuator).

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

What is team Caltech doing for gas storage?

Well, it's optimistic, but we do have an aux. fuel tank that can be switched under computer control.

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Also, if the engine dies, do you have automatic restart attempts?

Yes.

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Last, did you modify the suspension at all.

Yes, it's been lifted four inches and we have some very cool kevlar lined B.F. Goodrich tires (the same ones used on military humvees).

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Also, I'm curious of how it shifts (what type of linkage and actuator).

We're using an UltraMotion linear stepper motor that handles the shifting.

-Kevin

[The Lucas]

The Miracle Workerz (Team 365) and I give our full support to Team Virginia Tech. On Team Virginia Tech, there are 2 Miracle Workerz Alumni from our rookie year (2000), who are also sons of engineers on our team. This is a great example of how FIRST prepares you for real world engineering problem. From a robot which scoops balls and hangs under human control to one that navigates the desert autonomously, it is a natural progression.

Good Luck to Team Caltech and all the other teams as well. I sincerely hope that someone succeeds in this task. It is a great test of American ingenuity; one I am sure we will pass.

Kevin, if you have any pictures of the Virginia Tech team and their robot "Cliff" could you please post them.

[Aignam]

Good luck with the competition, guys! I can only imagine the fundraising for that project...some of those vehicles look like NASCAR Cars...

[andy]

THAT IS SOOOO AWESOME!!!

Man I wanna do that so bad... I'm lookin at collages now and Caltech and Carnegie Mellon are lookin real good because they got DARPA entries...

Do you know if the CMU team is better after they rolled last week? It didn't look good...

Wow! Awsome....

Good luck!!!

-Andy

[ZZII 527]

Does it bother anyone else that this is all run by DARPA? Or have I read too much Vonegut? I do love the concept though.

[gburlison]

Originally Posted by ZZII 527

Does it bother anyone else that this is all run by DARPA? Or have I read too much Vonegut? I do love the concept though.

Who else has the money and the desire to run something like this?

[joe_balint]

Yeah, it bothers me, but it's still extremely unique, interesting and educational and nobody says that the teams have to turn around and hire out to the DoD when this is over.... do they?

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by joe_balint

...nobody says that the teams have to turn around and hire out to the DoD when this is over.... do they?

No, you don't have to give 'em anything. The only thing they get is the technical paper and whatever data they can collect with their "e-stop" box and it's built-in GPS receiver.

-Kevin

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by andy

THAT IS SOOOO AWESOME!!!
Do you know if the CMU team is better after they rolled last week? It didn't look good...

Yes, the CMU folks pulled it together over the last three days and were completely operational (Their workarea is next to ours so we got to watch 'em work). CMU, on their first QID run, ran perfectly. We (Team Caltech) also ran a perfect QID run today. Friday afternoon we'll move Bob to Barstow before the race on Saturday.

-Kevin

[Elgin Clock]

Do you know the particular route yet and where it takes you, and what kind of terrain there is on the route???I'm guessing it's not just all flat terrain!

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Do you know the particular route yet and where it takes you, and what kind of terrain there is on the route???I'm guessing it's not just all flat terrain!

No, we won't know until 4:00AM Saturday morning. Col. Negron (the head DARPA guy) said that the course will be very tough in last nights team meeting. I don't think anyone will complete the race this year because this is a really, really tough problem.

-Kevin

[Kevin Watson]

One of the side benefits of having the California Speedway all to yourself:



That's my '94 Ford Taurus SHO in the pits. To get to the practice area, you have to drive to the other side of the speedway on the track. Needless to say, I've been spending a lot of time driving to/from the practice area .