0 The Next Grand Challenge by DARPA, Build Lifelike Robots

DARPA announced its next grand challenge on April 10, and unlike the previous editions it is much,  much tougher. The aim of the challenge is to utilise the grossly unused potential of robots relating to human safety and build humanoid robots to help in the rescue efforts in the situations hazardous to us humans.
This theme was decided in the wake of the recent Fukushima nuclear disaster which was the biggest one after Chernobyl.
The competition will be carried out in a course of two years, the first one of which is in October. The challenges will consist of staged disaster response scenarios in which the robots have to successfully navigate a series of physicals tasks according to the anticipated real world requirements. This is in a way a new concept because traditionally robots are designed to work in environs specifically designed for robots. But in this case the robots not only have to perform tasks in a primarily human environment, they have to do tasks which even a human might find difficult.
The tasks that the robot will be expected to perform are :-

• Drive any small utility vehicle, controlling ignition steering brakes and other controls.
• Walk/Run across uneven terrain
• Clear a path for evacuation
• Climb a ladder and move across a catwalk.
• Maintain its balance in tricky situations.
• Do tasks like drilling breaking open doors.
• Find and fix a leaking pipe.
• Replace a small pump

These are just examples, DARPA might make it a little difficult in the competition.

Competitors can take part along three tracks: Track A would involve building a complete system, including software and hardware; Track B could be software only, developed using competitive funds; Track C could be software only, using a competitor’s own funds; and Track D would be a complete system developed at the competitor’s own expense.

Other than capturing the imagination., this challenge if it were successful in its objective would be the holy grail        of robotics as it will provide us with a machine which is as capable (physically) as a human, if not more. And it will not be another one of those robots which are designed for only one purpose. After a little more prototyping they may even serve us like in The Jetsons!

But but but, with all that gain comes a little risk. Imagine a scenario in which a person is lying on the ground with one of his limbs and some ribs fractured (which is not at all uncommon in the event of the earthquake) and the robot approaches him to rescue him. It obviously does not know that the person is fractured and moving him would most probably result in the collapse of his chest of severe injuries to the limb, both of which can prove fatal. Would you prefer this type of a rescue. The robot might as well leave you lying there.

Another one of the risks is in the brain of the robot. Any small flaw in the programming may affect the the decision making of the robot which may prove fatal for someone already in some kind of a danger. There could be a virus too! (unless it has an antivirus installed!)

If you think you can build a robot which will have all the above mentioned features and will perform better than the most ingenious minds working together to create the ultimate robot,  you can go to www.darpa.mil/ to apply.