{"id":1117,"date":"2015-05-25T23:28:34","date_gmt":"2015-05-25T23:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.zprod.org\/zwp\/?p=1117"},"modified":"2015-05-26T00:09:32","modified_gmt":"2015-05-26T00:09:32","slug":"high-tech-low-tech-robotics-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zprod.org\/zwp\/robot\/high-tech-low-tech-robotics-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Low-tech testing tools for high-tech robots"},"content":{"rendered":"

Darpa robotics challenge (DRC)<\/p>\n

Well known for funding all sorts of military-oriented sci-tech projects in the USA, Darpa<\/a> (Defense advanced projects research agency) is just about to launch the grand final of their robotics challenge<\/a>. Twenty-five of the top robotics organizations in the world will gather to compete for $3.5 million in prizes as they attempt a simulated disaster-response course.<\/p>\n

\"schaftDRCBot\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I was not too impressed by the semi-finals in December 2013. I actually use a video of the Schaft S-One robot climbing a ladder<\/a> to illustrate how far humanoid robots are from anything vaguely similar to old school Terminator or Ava from the recent Ex-Machina<\/a> movie.<\/p>\n

\"ava\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Anyways, this post is a total side line: I had a look at videos of teams getting ready, working on balancing their robot (they are not allowed to assist the robot if it falls during the contest). I love the lo-tech tools built by the teams to push and prod the robots (a tradition started with the infamous video of Boston Dynamics Big Dog being kicked<\/a> in 2008).<\/p>\n

\"Screen<\/a><\/p>\n

DRC teams develop a somehow re-assuring ad-hocist approach that strongly contrasts with the titanium and silicon aesthetics of the machines.<\/p>\n

Case A: MIT, pushing Atlas robot in the groin with an ominous looking cardboard tube<\/p>\n