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Intelligent Networks • Smart Objects • Design for Humans |
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| Wednesday, March 02, 2005 |
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Cornell Robotics Team Drives for the Gold
| A team of Cornell University students is working on
robot vehicles to compete in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's
Grand Challenge, a contest in which self-navigating vehicles will be
required to traverse an off-road course of roughly 170 miles without human
assistance. Two Cornell vehicles have been registered for the contest, and
both will integrate sensors and computers to perceive their surroundings and
pass that data on to a decision-making computer that controls steering. A
Light Detection and Ranging sensor will precisely measure distances to
objects by beaming electromagnetic waves at wavelengths close to those of
visible light, while radar sensors that emit waves of longer wavelengths
will be able to measure the distance to solid objects, even if visibility is
poor; finally, a two-camera stereo-vision sensor will provide a
three-dimensional picture that is "much cleaner" than radar, according to
sensor sub-team leader Aaron Nathan. Software on attached computers will be
used to filter the sensor input and incorporate the data into a model of the
outside environment that the steering software can more easily understand.
The steering software will employ a path-finding algorithm to ascertain the
vehicle's desired route, and send the appropriate direction and velocity
commands. The steering software will also be imbued with special
decision-making powers to help the vehicles deal with unusual situations,
such as determining that the vehicle has struck a rock and should therefore
back up. |
10:55:59 PM
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Another One...
The Globus Alliance is developing fundamental technologies needed to build computational grids . Grids are persistent environments that enable software applications to integrate instruments, displays, computational and information resources that are managed by diverse organizations in widespread locations.
Related Coverage:
Ending the Grid Lock - MIT Technology Review
Related Consortium:
Enterprise Grid Alliance
...
10:55:56 PM
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