Robohub.org
 

DARPA Robotic Challenge Finals begin


by
05 June 2015



share this:
drc-getting-ready_800_394_80

The DARPA Robotic Challenge Finals at the Pomona Fairgrounds is a far bigger event than I imagined. Four sets like this one plus a stage, a grandstand full of people and an exposition hall with 80+ exhibitors!

If you study the picture (click to enlarge) you can see the whole process that each of the 24 participating teams must go through:

  • The robot gets loaded into the drivers seat of an AGV under the white awning. It then drives itself down an obstacle course to the red door at the bottom right of the picture.
  • Then the robot dismounts the vehicle and opens and goes through the red door.
  • Then it moves past some electrical panels and finds a valve which it must turn sufficient to close it.
  • It then moves over to the black circle and chooses a tool or tools from the shelf to carve out a hole in the drywall.
  • It then returns the tools to the shelf and walks or climbs over the rubble through the doorway to the stairs.
  • And the final task is to climb the stairs.
  • If it’s able to do each task all within an hour it gets a lot of points.
  • The three teams with the highest point counts get the big bucks: $2 million; $1 million and $500,000.

It all starts Friday at 8 am at the Pomona Fairgrounds.

This is a big story with implications well beyond the contest aspects. I’ll be writing about it over the next few days. This is just a teaser as to what it’s all about.



tags: , ,


Frank Tobe is the owner and publisher of The Robot Report, and is also a panel member for Robohub's Robotics by Invitation series.
Frank Tobe is the owner and publisher of The Robot Report, and is also a panel member for Robohub's Robotics by Invitation series.





Related posts :



Congratulations to the #AAMAS2025 best paper, best demo, and distinguished dissertation award winners

  29 May 2025
Find out who won the awards presented at the International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems last week.

Congratulations to the #ICRA2025 best paper award winners

  27 May 2025
The winners and finalists in the different categories have been announced.

#ICRA2025 social media round-up

  23 May 2025
Find out what the participants got up to at the International Conference on Robotics & Automation.

Robot Talk Episode 122 – Bio-inspired flying robots, with Jane Pauline Ramos Ramirez

  23 May 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Jane Pauline Ramos Ramirez from Delft University of Technology about drones that can move on land and in the air.

Robot Talk Episode 121 – Adaptable robots for the home, with Lerrel Pinto

  16 May 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Lerrel Pinto from New York University about using machine learning to train robots to adapt to new environments.

What’s coming up at #ICRA2025?

  16 May 2025
Find out what's in store at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics & Automation, which will take place from 19-23 May.

Robot see, robot do: System learns after watching how-tos

  14 May 2025
Researchers have developed a new robotic framework that allows robots to learn tasks by watching a how-to video

AI-powered robots help tackle Europe’s growing e-waste problem

  12 May 2025
EU-funded researchers have developed adaptable robots that could transform the way we recycle electronic waste, benefiting both the environment and the economy.



 

Robohub is supported by:




Would you like to learn how to tell impactful stories about your robot or AI system?


scicomm
training the next generation of science communicators in robotics & AI


©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence


 












©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence