DARPA to announce new Grand Challenge for humanoid robot
April 6, 2012
PETMAN (credit: Boston Dynamics)
DARPA is planning to announce a new Grand Challenge for a teleoperated humanoid robot that can be used in rough terrain and industrial disasters, according to an unofficial statement by Dr. Gill Pratt of DARPA at a conference, Hizook Robotics News reports, quoting a conference attendee.
The challenge is built around an industrial disaster response.
The robot will be required to maneuver into and drive an open-frame vehicle, proceed to a building and dismount, ingress through a locked door using a key, traverse a 100-meter rubble-strewn hallway, climb a ladder, locate a leaking pipe and seal it by closing off a nearby valve, and then replace a faulty pump to resume normal operations — all semi-autonomously with just “supervisory teleoperation.”
The BAA (Broad Agency Announcement) will be released within a week or two, and DAPRA will fund six hardware teams and twelve software teams, says Hizook.
“The common platform will almost certainly be some variant of [Boston Dynamics'] PETMAN,” Hizook suggests.
Comments (7)
by anthrobotic
PETMAN’s been large and in charge for more than half a year, you gotta know Boston Dynamics is going to walk away with this one | anthrobotic – http://goo.gl/QgSZD
by Jonathan Cole
It already walks well enough to serve a Warrant. Knock Knock.
by Mortran
This is quite a challenge. I ‘m afraid most humans couldn’t do that.
by Vstoriguard
Isn’t it interesting to see the role of prizes in this sort of research? We are motivated by the urge to “win” as much as seek fame, glory, and money.
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005JT22MG
by Cybernettr
It walks with a surprisingly human-like gait LOL!
“The robot will be required to maneuver into and drive an open-frame vehicle, proceed to a building and dismount, ingress through a locked door using a key, traverse a 100-meter rubble-strewn hallway, climb a ladder, locate a leaking pipe and seal it by closing off a nearby valve, and then replace a faulty pump to resume normal operations — all semi-autonomously with just “supervisory teleoperation.”
WOW! Is that all? I think I’ll join today! Now where are my Lego blocks…?
by John Doe
Ted Kaczynski was right.
by Tab Cocovillea
That video still scares the hell out of me every time I see it.