The Great Robot Race

1. Who is the sponsor for this Grand Challenge? What’s their goal?

The sponsor is  D.A.R.P.A. (Defence Automotive Research Projects Agency). Their goal is to complete a course with obstacles placed before an autonomous robot. The first robot to essentially reach the finish line is the winner of the challenge.

2. What happened to the previous Grand Challenge 2004?

Sandstrom hit a rock in a 142 mile rally and was stuck at 7 miles. All the other robots failed within half a mile into the course. However, Sandstorm wanted to keep going so he rolled his wheels hard against the rock until it caught on fire.  All 15 robots ran into mechanical failures and Sandstorm was the one that went the farthest. Many people believe that this Grand Challenge was impossible to complete. The Red team also wanted to place Highlander in this challenge.

3. How many teams (organization names) can you identify? What are their robots’ names?

- Ghost rider - Blue Team

- Terramax- Defense Contractors

- Stanley-Stanford University (computer software inside the robot to help it think for itself; Makes it more safe to drive, the speed and direction)

- Sandstorm- Carnegie Mellon University (Red team)

- Tommy

- Team Dad- Hall Brothers

- Highlander- Red Team (Carnegie Mellon University)

4. What are the technologies being used in these robots? List at least two robots and analyze them.

- Spinning Laser Sensors- scan for safe roads to drive on.

- GPS receiver : In order for the robot, like Highlander, to drive by itself, it needs a GPS receiver so it can detect the direction it is going and follow the right course.

- Computer Integration (Software)

- Scanners- creates a color coded map for the care: white is good to drive one, red is avoid. scans 60-150 ft. The faster it goes, the faster it needs to scan

-Adaptive Video vision- calculate the distance that is safe to drive

- Hall Brothers- video camera: compares the distances of objects and tries to avoid it.

5. Why the shapes/sizes of robots in the race are so diverse? What are the different functions/goals they want to achieve? List at least two robots and analyze them.

This Grand Challenge comes with all kind obstacles, gates, and tunnels. If all the robots have the same shapes and sizes, then a lot of different size things cannot be accomplished. The smallest robot in this challenge was the Ghostrider, which is an autonomous motorcycle. Anthony wanted the motorcycle to stand up by itself. The largest that entered was Terramax, which is a 16-ton truck. Despite its size, it is a robot that tends to have a helpful trait. It might play a big role in the Marine Corps. At the end of the day, all these people come together with one goal, which is to complete the course and win the race.

6. Compare the different approaches taken by a small Stanford University team with its entry, Stanley, to that of rival CMU.

Stanford sees the robot as more of an intellectual decision maker, unlike Carnegie Mellon University. Stanley has lasers that can help determine the color of a smoother path. With the laser, it can basically adapt to the course's road condition and determine the speed it should travel in. Stanley was he only vehicle that did not hit any obstacles in the race. No one knew how successful this robot would be.

Red Team: Sandstrom will be the one trying its best to make it through all the obstacles while Highlander will be the risk taker and try to go the fastest.

7. What do you learn from the experiences of grand challenge?

- Not everything will go right so there will be failures

- Do not let failures defeat you

- Never give up in what you want to accomplish

It's all about the Flying Spherical Robot

https://docs.google.com/a/erhsnyc.net/presentation/d/1SiYXz6K8V_V3iapNMVNtEgXTF8V6SXBfluhNz6m_GE8/present#slide=id.p

Want to find out more about SPHERICAL FLYING ROBOT? Click on the link above to see a powerpoint. It shows all functions and origin of this special robot.

It all started with one step... concept map

Lab 1: Entering the Robotics World- Literature Survey

Lab 1 Entering the Robotics World Literature Survey

Topic: Spherical Flying Robot

Group 5: Alex Glickman, Jie Ying Li, Ryan Wang, Xue Jing Yang

Date:  September 16, 2013

1)Ann R. Thryft, Senior Technical Editor, Materials & Assembly (11/11/2011) Japan Defense Ministry Spins Flying Spherical Robot article. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the designnews website:

http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1386&doc_id=235083&dfpPParams=ht_13,industry_aero,industry_gov,aid_235083&dfpLayout=blog

The military of Japan creates the first flying spherical robots in the world. It weighs 350 grams and measures 42cm in diameter. The sphere can stay in the air for eight minutes and travels at a maximum of 60kh/h. It costed the Japan military $1,400 to create this robot. The future plans for this robot is to reach places that are difficult to access and for rescue missions due to its high flexible motions.

2) Humphries, Matthew (Oct. 26, 2011) Japan creates world’s first spherical flying robot article. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the geek website:

   

http://www.geek.com/geek-pick/japan-creates-worlds-first-spherical-flying-robot-1434053/

    The spherical flying robot was created by Japan’s Ministry of Defense and it was known to be the first in the world to work. This bot is a combination of parts of an helicopter and a winged plane. With the help of the gyro sensors, the spherical flying robot is able to stand an obstacle without breaking down. Instead, it will be able to adjust and continue flying. Its spherical features allow it to roll on a surface under control. This bot is meant to be used in rescue missions and have functions that other types of planes do not have. However, the one question that still remains is how much this bot can carry.

3) Fairhead, Harry (November 5, 2011) A Spherical Flying Robot article. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the i-programmer website:

http://www.i-programmer.info/news/169-robotics/3290-a-spherical-flying-robot.html

   

    The ball-robot basically consists of a helicopter inside a round cage. Because the design consists of ducted fans and vanes vector, it is considered to be very stable and original. Its propellers and wings both have their own role in making this product function. To meet the speed of 60km per hour, the propellers need to be vertical so it can apply an horizontal force. On the other hand, the wings act as control services. After being tested, it is said that the robot can linger in the air for eight minutes with batteries. And when it does decide to land, the control service can be used to control the rolls of the sphere. The plane inside the sphere aided the robot’s ability to land. This robot could even be used as a present in the near future.

4) Staff Writer (OCT.27.2011) Japan develops Jedi-style robot flying ball article. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the itproportal website:

http://www.itproportal.com/2011/10/27/japan-develops-jedi-style-robot-flying-ball/

    This robot looks like something from star wars but it is not science fiction. The flying spherical robot uses propellers and wings to hover and fly in any direction. It also has three gyroscopic sensors to control its motion and a camera. Because the exterior is round, it can land on all kinds of attitude and also move along the ground.

5) DigInfo TV - http://diginfo.tv (Uploaded on Oct 23, 2011) Spherical Flying Machine Developed by Japan Ministry Of Defense video. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF0uLnMoQZA

This video is about a new flying spherical object created by the japanese military defense unit. It goes up to 40 miles per hour. This is advanced technology that will let them be able to fly at high altitudes and land and take off fast. It is a mix between a helicopter and airplane.

6) Secret House (Uploaded on Jun 12, 2011) JAPANESE MINISTRY OF SELF-DEFENSE SHOWS OFF FLYING SPHERE ROBOT Video. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RK_rl6oXfo
     
        This video shows what this flying spherical robot could do. It shows how it could land and roll to a stop. Along with this it could fit inside of hallways, go up staircase and even fit through window openings. This shows how this robot could be a huge help to the Japanese military.

7) W.J. Hennigan (October 25, 2011) Japanese engineers develop flying robotic orb [Video] Article. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the latimes blog:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/10/japan-flying-sphere.html

The article is about how this is a huge advance for Japanese Military Defense. This lightweight robot weighs 12 ounces and is extremely cheap to make. This flying spherical robot only costs one thousand four hundred dollars. The best part about this machine that it will stay in air if it hits an object or if something hits the flying spherical robot.

8) Franzen, Carl (October 26, 2011) Japanese Defense Ministry Builds ‘World’s First Spherical Flying Machine’ article: Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the idealab website:

http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/japanese-defense-ministry-builds-worlds-first-spherical-flying-machine.php

The idea of the spherical flying robot came from the Japanese defense ministry’s interest in vertical takeoff and landing. The robot has some sort of gyro-stabilization, which allows the robot to maintain its state after crashing into a wall. It is said that this robot is able to help in many missions where many areas are hard to reach or contact; this is later reported that that extra hand or ability might be the surveillance.

9) Miwa Suzuk (Aug 5, 2011) Japanese inventor develops flying sphere drone article. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the phys website:

http://phys.org/news/2011-08-japanese-inventor-sphere-drone.html

    The spherical flying robots has many built-in functions. Those flying round ball robot is able to hover in air, roll and bounce on the ground. It can land vertically because the round shell allows it. The shape of this robot gave it many easy movements to get to places. Some future developments from this robot is autopilot, turbulence control, and poor weather function.

10) Nicole DiGiose (posted on 06/20/2013) Flying Robot Drones Make Life Easier on the International Space Station article. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the electronicproducts website:

http://www.electronicproducts.com/Sensors_and_Transducers/Sensors/Flying_Robot_Drones_Make_Life_Easier_on_the_International_Space_Station.aspx

    Smart Spheres is a flying robot used in space stations created by NASA. It is volleyball size sphere robot that been flying around in space since 2006. It has build in propulsion, computing, and navigation equipment. It performs simple and routine task on the ISS to keep the space station safe and habitable for humans. To give the sphere robot the brains for function, an Android phone was attached to it. It can be connected through wifi so the the robot can be operated on Earth with great awareness of what was going on in space.

11) Ackerman, Evan (June 9, 2011) Japanese Ministry of Self-Defense Spends $1000 on Flying Robot Soccer Ball article. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the spectrum.ieee website:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/military-robots/japanese-ministry-of-defense-spends-1000-on-flying-robot-soccer-ball

    This all started in Tokyo when the Japanese Ministry of Self-Defense entered Akihabara, which is a huge shopping mall with electronics. The spherical flying robot took a year and a half and used a little more than one thousand dollars. This robot is able to move in small places like a narrow hallway. One of the most interesting thing is that it can hit the ground to land. Not only will the sphere roll but it will look as if everything was normal. The robot has one propeller and a total of eight separate wings for control.

12) Gizmag (October 27, 2011) Japanese Defense Ministry shows world's first spherical flying machine article. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from the zeitnews website:

http://www.zeitnews.org/node/2716

    Japan was able to turn fiction into a real reality by creating the first ever spherical flying robot. This first spherical flying robot was announced that it will likely be used in rescue and search operations, especially when the traditional aircrafts do not match the conditions. It can roll on the ground to get to the destined location and it has the same rates as an ordinary airplane.