What started out as a homework project by George Guebely, Founder of Team Robo Monster, and Interactive Media Design Student, turned into Art Institute Students Creating their own "Robo Monster" to go up against the Big Guys
Students and faculty at the Art Institute of California, Los Angeles think their robotic car, a modified rock-crawler developed by Kirby Designs, has a chance against heavyweights like Caltech and CMU.
The driverless car, is part of their entry in the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge - a $2 million race putting robotic cars against each other in a grueling 200-mile desert course to be held in October 2005. The cars are not remote controlled - instead, they will use sensors and machine intelligence to travel completely on their own through the Southern California desert. The Robo Monster rock crawler is already well on its way to having this machine intelligence.
"We can hardly believe we've gotten this far since Feb 1st" said Pete Markiewicz , an instructor in programming at the Art Institute, and Team Leader for Robo Monster. "Between Feb 1 and March 1 we installed motors and controllers allowing Robo Monster to be controlled by a computer or remote control. During the next few months we plan to elevate its IQ so it follow GPS signals. We are also installing sensors which will help it detect and avoid obstacles on the DARPA racecourse."
The Robo Monster team is now in the process of getting Robo Monster to follow GPS way points for the DARPA Site Visit scheduled for May 11th. To do so, Brian Kirby, who built Robo Monster in 2004, is installing a new engine, automatic transmission, and transfer case. We thank Mike Cohn of Rockcrawler.com in getting us our transfer case and adapter. The switch to automatic transmission is necessary since it is difficult to design a control mechanism for manual transmissions. After installation, linear actuators will control shifting, supplementing the steering motor and servo motors controlling the throttle and brakes. Kirby has designed these components to be modular - they can be easily removed for normal driving. The passenger seat has been replaced with a module for batteries and motor controllers, and the back seat area will house the computers operating the vehicle. Students at the Orange County, CA and Los Angeles Art Institute schools are developing designs for the shell which will protect these components during the actual race.
To encourage innovation, DARPA opened the Grand Challenge last year to anyone - not just big universities or defense contractors. And 195 teams from the US and world have accepted the challenge. Teams range from "mom and pop" groups who hotwired the family car to 3 high school entires to top-seeded CMU with their twin Hummers, "Sandstorm" and "Highlander". Several other teams in Los Angeles are readying robot cars for the race. Most of the teams are using modified SUVs or pickup trucks. A few teams, like Cornel University are using offroad vehicles. But Robo Monster is the only true rock crawler in the competition.
The race is more than entertainment. Many experts believe that driverless vehicles will soon be used for rescue and supply convoys on the battlefield and in civilian disasters, as well as providing a new level of freedom for the disabled.
The Team Robo Monster website, including images and video of the robo-rock-crawler, is available at www.robomonster.com.
For more information on the race, visit www.grandchallenge.org.
To see a list of the top robotic cars (including Robo Monster) in the race with downloadable videos of their operation, visit the CIMAR website at cimar.mae.ufl.edu/teamcimar/gallery/The%20Players/TMP53h6ndx4fz.htm
George Guebely
Founder, Team Robo Monster
Interactive Media Designer
Art Institute of California, Los Angeles
310-593-3833
