Can you say funding? lol, DARPA is giving 1 million dollars away to the team that can build a robot that travels 250 miles from Anahiem CA. to Las Vegas NV the fastest. The guidelines for the race are:
- Must be 100% Autonomous
- The only permitted instructions start and stop
- The robot must complete the course in under 10 hours (average 25 mph)
- 2 hours before the race each team will receive a map of way-points. If the robot does not stay close enough the the corridor (10 feet margin of error is allowed, the same as a non-military GPS or GIS system) marked by those, it is DQ’ed.
- 1 pit stop allowed 180 miles in, but the machines have to service themselves.
- Land dwelling robots only (no airships)
- As far as cost, material, weight, and size, are concerned its open season
- Beginning next year, the race will be held every year until 2007 or until a robot can meet the rules stated above.
So far there are only 18 teams involved in the race, most from huge corporations or universities (such as Carnegie-Mellon). If you could enter a robot, what would it be like? Comments on the story?
Some site you can go to for more information are:
