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Autonomous Robots' Desert Race

Posted by timothy on Tue Aug 06, 2002 12:33 AM
from the lotta-holes-in-that-desert dept.
Science Technology
celady writes: "From KurzweilAI.net, apparently DARPA, the main research and development center for the department of defense, is going to fund an all-terrain robot race . The robots will race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas completely without human intervention. This could prove useful in the battlefield someday. DARPA really has some interesting projects going on. This one is BORING compared to the Vortex Combustor and the Chip-Size Atomic Clock. Watch the DARPA site for updates."
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  • Roads...? (Score:1)

    by FuzzyMan45 (451645) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:37AM (#4016465)
    Maybe i missed it in the article, but i didnt see where it said if this were to be an offroad race or an onroad race. I did see that FUTURE ones wil lbe a combonation. Can anyone shed some light on this?
    • Re:Roads...? by FuzzyMan45 (Score:1) Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:57AM
    • 2 replies beneath your current threshold.

  • The technology is getting there (Score:1)

    by faeryman (191366) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:38AM (#4016466) Homepage
    It's cool that some robots can go over any terrain from LA to Las Vegas, but what I really want to see developed is a robot to get me out of the fucking LA traffic headed..well..anywhere, not just Vegas. Let it drive, pick me up and carry me, or hover - I don't really care. ugh...stupid drivers.

  • What's up? (Score:1)

    by FlyingDragon (182542) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:39AM (#4016468)
    What's with all of the robot stories over the last few days? Did the ./ crew get stuck in a loop or something?
    • Re:What's up? by MrP- (Score:3) Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:42AM
      • Re:What's up? by IvyMike (Score:2) Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:47AM
      • 1 reply beneath your current threshold.
    • 1 reply beneath your current threshold.

  • fear and loathing (Score:2, Offtopic)

    by joe_bruin (266648) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:40AM (#4016472) Homepage Journal
    We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a saltshaker half-full of cocaine, and a whole galaxy of uppers, downers, laughers, screamers... Also, a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether, and two dozen amyls. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can. The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon.

  • no biggie (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Nobley (598336) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:49AM (#4016493) Journal
    This may have been an exciting challenge to watch before GPS came to be comonplace, but with the aid of GPS such a challenge seems a little routine to me, perhaps some entrant will choose to be suprisingly creative however and entertain us all.

    • Re:no biggie (Score:5, Interesting)

      by qedigital (545151) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @01:11AM (#4016530) Homepage

      Granted, GPS would be an integral component of mapping and directional navigation. However, a competiting robot would have to dynamically respond to its surroundings (other robots, terrain, unforeseen obstacles) as well as be capable of tasks such as refueling (as the article suggests).

      The challenge presented by this competition is enormous. The combination of speed, AI, ruggedness, and endurance is exciting as it hasn't really been seen outside military applications.

      It's also great to see that some real money is likely to be fronted and should therefore attract some high-profile organizations as well as some interesting ideas. Competitions are one of the best ways to promote development by outlining clear goals, bringing like-minded people together to exchange ideas, and gain public media support for often obscure topics.

      [ Parent ]
    • Re:no biggie by DNS-and-BIND (Score:2) Tuesday August 06 2002, @02:35AM
      • Re:no biggie by typeabstraction (Score:1) Tuesday August 06 2002, @08:49AM
      • Re:no biggie by susano_otter (Score:2) Tuesday August 06 2002, @10:46AM
    • Re:no biggie by NoKnack (Score:1) Tuesday August 06 2002, @01:01PM

  • Wierd (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:54AM (#4016499)
    in 48 hours we get:

    Autonomous submarine competition. [slashdot.org]

    Autonomous race car competition [slashdot.org], funded by the National Semiconductors.

    Autonomous hostess/conventiongoing robot in competition. [slashdot.org]

    CMU buying land to test variable-terrain navigating robots. [slashdot.org]

    And now another autonomous race car competition, but this one variable-terrain [slashdot.org] and funded by DARPA.

    Is it robot day or something?

    • Re:Wierd (Score:4, Insightful)

      by mshiltonj (220311) <mshiltonj&gmail,com> on Tuesday August 06 2002, @06:19AM (#4017053) Homepage Journal
      Is it robot day or something?

      Maybe slashdot needs a "Robot" topic? The topic is getting incredibly interesting now. In just a few few year, we may have autonomous, social, biped androids doing lots of interesting things.

      I've said it before: All I want is a house robot that will vaccuum, do the dishes, get the paper, bring me a beer, etc. It plug itself into an outlet to charge itself when not in use.

      And make biscuits. ;-)

      A finite environment, with finite tasks. When is GE going to bring that good thing to life?
      [ Parent ]
    • Re:Wierd by hplasm (Score:1) Tuesday August 06 2002, @07:18AM
    • 1 reply beneath your current threshold.

  • What happens (Score:1)

    by CableModemSniper (556285) <cblsnipr@optonli n e .net> on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:54AM (#4016501) Homepage Journal
    when the robots escape? How far will they make it? All the way to a parking lot to be run over...oh no wait that was another story. Sorry.

  • desert, v. tr. : to abandon (Score:2)

    by cascino (454769) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:57AM (#4016512) Homepage
    Autonomous Robots Desert Race
    They're armed, dangerous, and on the loose!

  • screw the battlefield......MARS! (Score:1, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 06 2002, @01:12AM (#4016533)
    "This could prove useful in the battlefield someday"

    That's a fairly short sighted comment...
    What about MARS?!
    Yes, I do realize that fighting takes priority over exploration in this world,
    but there have got to be better uses for the tech that comes from this contest.

    -->pulling head out of clouds now...

  • Vortex Challenges (Score:1)

    by CaptainPuppydog (516199) <`mlind' `at' `employees.org'> on Tuesday August 06 2002, @01:14AM (#4016534)
    From site:

    Top Technical Challenges

    * Start, throttling, shutdown, and restart
    * Sustained operations

    Hmmm... about the only thing that isn't listed as a challenge is funding.... but then, it IS the government... :)

  • could prove useful (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 06 2002, @01:14AM (#4016535)
    The robots will race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas completely without human intervention. This could prove useful in the battlefield someday.

    So LA finally declared war in Las Vegas? Guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.

  • Battlefield traffic jam (Score:1)

    by spress (584556) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @01:17AM (#4016542)
    Nothing like a robot in a white hat, looking like Abe Vigoda, and driving at 10mph to slow down advancing enemy tanks.

  • Number five at 3/1 (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 06 2002, @01:18AM (#4016545)
    Yes, he's still alive. :)

  • "without human intervention." (Score:2)

    by tcd004 (134130) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @01:19AM (#4016547) Homepage
    without human intervention.

    But what will burt reynolds do?

    read the EXTREME worst case scenario guidebook [lostbrain.com]

    tcd004

  • AI Si, People No??? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by DrewK (44568) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @01:21AM (#4016552)
    There used to be an annual race like this that ended in 1989 I believe when parts of the area became National Park. So the Machines already have more rights than us Citizens?

  • A Million Dollars.... (Score:2, Interesting)

    by ispepalocacoc (592651) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @02:02AM (#4016616)
    Offering a million dollars is one way to encourage people to make scientific advancements, but that will never compare to a global disaster.

    If for some reason Earth was going to become uninhabitable scientists would have us living on the moon in no time.

  • More than meets the eyes.... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Kirby-meister (574952) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @02:12AM (#4016632)
    "Autonomous bots, transform!"

  • oh boy! (Score:1)

    by peatbakke (52079) <mistermossNO@SPAMgmail.com> on Tuesday August 06 2002, @02:14AM (#4016635) Homepage

    It would be really cool if a competitor combined all the nifty DARPA technologies discussed in the article.

    Imagine: a robotic vehicle powered by a scramjet, with an internal guidance guidance system in the form of a rat being remotely controlled by the brain power of a monkey, and a quantum computer capable of basic arithmetic.

    Hmm ...

  • Autonomous Multi-Tasking (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Kaz Riprock (590115) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @02:20AM (#4016647)
    Now...imagine if one robot was built to race down the streets of San Francisco to the harbor where it transforms into a submarine to dive to LA where it jumps to all-terrain mode to roll on to Vegas. It then has the sociability to roll into the casino and receive its award without bumping into the race officials.

    Now that would be a cool slashdot story...

    ...Oh, and it's gotta be able to beat Toro in Battlebots on Treasure Island on its way home.

  • A little more work to do.. (Score:1)

    by Kaeru the Frog (152611) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @02:28AM (#4016656)
    From the Vortex Combuster page:

    Top Technical Challenges
    • Start, throttling, shutdown, and restart
    • Sustained operations
    They can't start it, throttle it, restart it, and it can only stop when they don't want it to?

  • Male-AI Robots (Score:1)

    by clickety6 (141178) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @03:15AM (#4016708)
    The robots will race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas completely without human intervention.

    Obviously these are male-AI robots if they are programmed not to stop and ask for directions...

    • 1 reply beneath your current threshold.

  • Gambling (Score:1)

    by Viking of the north (586228) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @03:31AM (#4016733) Homepage

    Now we just have to implement some poker and blackjackskills to the robots and we'll never have to go to Vegas again.

    I think I will name mine Lucky Seven

  • Is this going to be a REAL expensive battlebots? (Score:1)

    by zebadee (551743) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @03:39AM (#4016742) Homepage
    It says they will be of interest in future wars so does that mean you can stick weapons on them to take out the other competitors. Now I wish I had chosen the "CO2 laser" in Saturday's pole.

  • Re: The only feasible method of transport... (Score:1)

    by twoslice (457793) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @04:35AM (#4016893)
    After a bit of thought (.0001 seconds) I conclude that the only way a robot could traverse the distance sucessfully, is if its mode of transportation was flight.

    If it took to the roads it would not last a minute, especially with those California drivers who go postal. and although the contest is not in any "offical" redneck part of the country, but it is common knowledge that rednecks can be found anywhere. So, I won't even fathom to guess what a redneck would do to one of these robots if they found one on the road. but I am willing to bet Jeff Foxworthy would know...

  • Very useful indeed! (Score:2)

    by QuantumFTL (197300) <justin.wick@NoSPam.gmail.com> on Tuesday August 06 2002, @04:39AM (#4016897) Homepage
    The robots will race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas completely without human intervention. This could prove useful in the battlefield someday.

    Yes, when our battle robots stumble upon Canada's massive Mecha army in World War Three, they will have to be able to run away very fast!

  • Second Variety, anyone? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Observer (91365) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @05:30AM (#4016961)
    "This could prove useful in the battlefield someday."
    (Shudder) This is the sort of comment that gives me the creeps. At least with humans there's the chance that you can eventually reason with your opponents . But autonomous robots? You might as well try to negotiate with a land mine - "hey, dude, the war's over, mind if I walk through there now?"

    See the Phil K. Dick story referred to in the title, or the film "Screamers" that was based on it.

    --
    Come back, Ned Ludd, the world needs you.

  • Hmm, (Score:2)

    by Moderation abuser (184013) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @06:57AM (#4017143)
    Little bottle of helium, a gass tight envelope, a GPS, some solar cells, battery, couple of motors, computer to control it ...

    Something much like:

    http://www.robotgroup.org/projects/blimphst.html

    Oh sorry, is that cheating?

  • DARPA programs (Score:1)

    by nalfeshnee (263742) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @07:30AM (#4017269) Homepage
    talking about wacky programs, how about some of these from the programs page (http://www.darpa.mil/dso/programs.htm), with notes:

    Accelerated Insertion of Materials = shooting people (high velocity rounds favoured).

    Unconventional Pathogen Countermeasures = saying 'bless you' when someone sneezes.

    Water Harvesting = ummm ... i guess they're still trying to get the water grown from seed first. i guess to date only hydroponic tests have proven successful...

    my absolute favourite is, however, 'Palm Power' - is this the crushing of all those other PDAs like the insignificant worms they are, or is it more of a kung-fu style 'upgrade' like you get in arcade games? i guess the infantry will have to pick up a flashy thing to get it...

    nalfy

  • Make it Fly (Score:3, Interesting)

    by msheppard (150231) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @07:40AM (#4017313) Homepage Journal
    Build a RC plane (they have these)
    Hook up a GPS (they have these)
    Hook up the gyro controlled auto pilot (they have these, yes, for RC planes)
    Punch in the Co-Ords, and launch it.

    I guess maybe solar powered electric might be best so you don't have to carry around a lot of feul.

    M@

  • funny headline? (Score:1)

    by n-baxley (103975) <nate@b[ ]eys.org ['axl' in gap]> on Tuesday August 06 2002, @08:00AM (#4017427) Homepage Journal
    At first I thought that read "Autonomous Robots Leave Race". LOL at the actual story then.

  • CMU Robotics (Score:3, Interesting)

    by imadork (226897) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @08:06AM (#4017453) Homepage
    When I was at CMU I knew a few people in the Robotics department. I know that at the time they were working on the problem of how to get a computer to drive a car by itself. AI, Machine vision, recognizing the lines painted on the road -- all that good stuff. I know that they ran all sorts of experiments with computers driving actual cars, but with human drivers as a backup.

    I heard a story while I was there (that was never really confirmed) that on one trip, they decided to ditch the human driver in the car, and see how well the machine could do on its own. (They followed behind it in another car, IIRC, and probably had some remote-control apparatus as well, I'd imagine.) They got from Pittsburgh to just outside DC, at which point a Virginia Cop pulled the car over -- only because it didn't have a driver!

    Can anyone currently at CMU confirm whether this is true? I've always wondered about that.

  • Like some bad, Sci-Fi film (Score:1)

    by bembleton (589035) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @08:41AM (#4017642)
    What's up with all the robots of lately? I know they've been around, but they started attacking /. like a bad movie!

    I'll be more interested when they can autonomously go to work for me while I stay home and read slashdot.

  • off-road? What about on-ground? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Andy Dodd (701) <atd7@cornel l . e du> on Tuesday August 06 2002, @09:46AM (#4018070) Homepage
    Does it have to be a ground/water-only robot?

    If it can fly, everything becomes simple.

    One person already pointed out combining a GPS with an R/C plane - Maybe that would work, although there's the issue of landing - The "finish line" may not have room allow a glide-in landing.

    Put a GPS and a computer in a chopper, though... Someone had a link to an open-source helicopter autopilot project a few robotics articles ago.

  • Cannonball Run 2k2! (Score:1)

    by el_benito (586634) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @10:32AM (#4018425) Homepage
    'Contest officials were later dismayed to discover that the winning robot was nothing other than Burt Reynolds wearing a tin-foil hat.'

  • How to do it for under $1,000 (Score:1)

    by Greedo (304385) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @10:41AM (#4018485) Homepage Journal
    You just need to build a robot that can hail a cab and dispense the fee, or walk into a Fedex office and say "ship me!"

  • *CRUNCH* -oops (Score:2)

    by Dynedain (141758) <slashdot2@anthon ... com minus author> on Tuesday August 06 2002, @11:10AM (#4018709) Homepage
    I hope they avoid the LA freeways. I-15 between SoCal and Vegas is also one of the busiest roads in the country.

    But seriously, if a autonomous neurological-network-enabled quadropod such as a cat, dog, or squirrel can't navigate the freeways, I don't expect a robot to.

  • enforcement? (Score:2)

    by Tablizer (95088) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @11:49AM (#4019027) Homepage Journal
    Will robocops hand out robotickets?

    Seriously, the road to Vegas is a ticket trap. It seems California wants to get some revunue before people spend it all in Vegas.

  • Also in the news... (Score:1)

    by deke_2503 (569986) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:08PM (#4019171) Homepage
    Scientists are now working on an 'Autonomous Slashdot User' which can read, post, and reply, all in the pursuit of better karma.

    It seems, however, that a bug/feature has developed in these autonomous users, causing them to be unnaturally attracted to other autonomous contests...

  • Machine Shop Mega-Wars. (Score:2)

    by phriedom (561200) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @12:16PM (#4019252)
    This sounds perfect for TV. Granted, a mil is a bunch of money to me, but it seems like DARPA could sell the TV rights to this event for more than that, and therefore give a bigger prize and attract more effort from competitors. Plus they would be getting good video documentation of the performance of the competitors as a bonus. I think they could do that without making significant concessions in the rules or whatever to the TV people.

  • Autonomous Robots DESERT Race. (Score:1)

    by Anderlan (17286) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @04:51PM (#4021557) Homepage
    Autonomous Robots DESERT Race.
    Desert, verb. 1. To abandon.
    Who else read the headline that way?

    Just like the article about an autonomous robot that wandered, autonomously, out into the parking lot of a facility recently.

  • The Vortex looks interesting? (Score:3, Funny)

    by gazbo (517111) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @03:12AM (#4016706)
    From the project page:
    Top Technical Challenges
    • Start, throttling, shutdown, and restart
    • Sustained operations
    So, in other words, their main problems are starting it, controlling it, stopping it, and keeping it running in the meantime. No doubt we can expect a prototype soon.

    [ Parent ]

  • Re:it's a (Score:1)

    by hplasm (576983) on Tuesday August 06 2002, @07:24AM (#4017242) Journal
    LOL!!
    [ Parent ]
  • Geez, slashdot has no sense of humor anymore. And yeah, I know, I gotta change my sig.
    [ Parent ]
  • 12 replies beneath your current threshold.

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