Teams Prepare For NASA $1.5 Million Robot Challenge

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May 29, 2013

David E. Steitz 
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-1730 
david.steitz@xxxxxxxx 

Janet L. Anderson 
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 
256-544-0034 
janet.l.anderson@xxxxxxxx 

Andy Baron 
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass. 
508-831-5916 
ajbaron@xxxxxxx 

RELEASE: 13-162

TEAMS PREPARE FOR NASA $1.5 MILLION ROBOT CHALLENGE

WASHINGTON -- Eleven teams from across the country and around the 
globe are preparing to compete for $1.5 million during NASA's 2013 
Sample Return Robot Challenge, June 5-7 at the Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Mass. 

Teams will demonstrate a robot that can locate and collect geologic 
samples from a wide and varied terrain, operating without human 
control. The objective of this NASA-WPI Centennial Challenge is to 
encourage innovations in autonomous navigation and robotics 
technologies. Innovations stemming from the challenge could improve 
NASA's capability to explore a variety of destinations in space, as 
well as enhance the nation's robotic technology for use in industries 
and applications on Earth. 

"Anticipation is high for a successful sample collection this year," 
said Sam Ortega, program manager of Centennial Challenges, which is 
managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. 
"Last year, teams were finding their footing and tweaking their 
designs. This year, we have several teams that know what they're up 
against, and they can't wait to get back on the field. We have a lot 
of new competitors signed up. Improving this technology will be a 
huge boon, not just to NASA and space exploration, but also for 
countless applications here on Earth." 

There will be two levels of competition. For a robot to complete Level 
1 successfully, it must leave from a starting platform in search of a 
sample that has been previously identified in the robot's onboard 
computer. The robot must then autonomously return one undamaged 
sample to its starting platform within a 30-minute time limit. Only 
teams that complete Level 1 will be allowed to compete in Level 2. 

To complete Level 2 successfully, a robot must autonomously return at 
least two undamaged samples, including the pre-cached sample, to its 
starting platform within a two-hour time limit. 

Samples are categorized as easy, intermediate and hard based on the 
complexity of their shape, size and design, with higher point values 
given for samples classified as hard. Samples range in shape and size 
from rectangular (like a shoe box) or round (like a tennis ball). 
Prize awards will range from $100,000 to $1.5 million depending on 
the amount of points scored. 

This is the second Sample Robot Return competition. During last year's 
competition, also at WPI, 11 teams registered to compete and the 
field narrowed to six as the competition approached. After robot 
inspections, only one team met the contest's rigorous requirements. 
That robot competed in Level 1, but failed to collect the required 
samples in the allotted time, so no prize money was awarded. 

The Centennial Challenges program does not award funds to competitors 
unless the challenge objectives have been met. This assures desired 
results are gained before government funds are paid. 

Returning teams this year include SpacePRIDE of Graniteville, S.C.; 
Survey of Los Angeles; Wunderkammer of Topanga, Calif.; Intrepid of 
Lynnwood, Wash.; and the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. 
New teams entering the competition are Fetch of Alexandria, Va.; 
Middleman of Dunedin, Fla.; Mystic Late Robots of The Woodlands, 
Texas; Team AERO of Worcester, Mass.; the Autonomous Rover Team of 
the University of California at Santa Cruz; and Kuukuglur of Estonia. 


The challenge begins on the WPI campus Wednesday, June 5, with awards 
expected on Saturday, June 8, if competition objectives are met. The 
awards ceremony will take place during the day-long TouchTomorrow 
technology festival hosted by WPI. The festival will showcase the 
teams and robots as well as NASA and WPI exhibits in science, 
robotics and space technology. The TouchTomorrow festival is open to 
the public. 

Journalists who want to cover the sample return robot competition 
should contact Janet Anderson of NASA Communications at 256-544-0034 
or by email at janet.l.anderson@xxxxxxxx for a schedule of activities 
and media credentials. 

For more information about WPI and the TouchTomorrow festival, visit: 

http://touchtomorrow.wpi.edu 

The Centennial Challenges program is part of NASA's Space Technology 
Mission Directorate, which is innovating, developing, testing and 
flying hardware for use in NASA's future missions. For more 
information, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/challenges 

	
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