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DARPA Robot Contest Update

Posted by michael on from the hunter-seeker dept.

rbrandis writes "DARPA has selected a wide variety of teams, after a series of last minute rule changes and a solid outpouring of anger, the final list of competitors for DARPA's Grand Challenge robot race has been set with 25 teams preparing to try and win a $1 million prize." The anger is exemplified by submissions like this one: Totally_Lost writes "Last spring we flocked to DARPA's Grand Challenge media event in Los Angeles to be told that they wanted everyone's participation in their Robot race this March. They told us that the race would be open to Mom and Pop garage sized participants - and Lied. This fall, nearly 100 teams completed technical paper submissions, with about half to be eliminated from the $1M prize race because they were too small to be 'real' competitors. Well, the rejected robot racing teams got together in Las Vegas last month, and formed the International Robot Racing Federation. This month IRRF is announcing its first competition with $1M in prizes pledged by sponsors, and lesser prizes too, to be offered in a REAL OPEN Challenge next September (providing the race that DARPA failed to deliver)."

2 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Join Team Overbot - no pay, some risk, big priz by herrvinny · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Well, it looks like you're a newbie here, so congratulations on getting a /. account. You're now a member of the most geeky society in the world.

    Just a tiny nitpick. You don't actually have to type out "[url]" after a link, the system does it automatically, to prevent stupid goatse.cx links (Don't visit that site at work. You have been warned.)

    Anyway, as far as your offer on C programmers is concerned, I'm more of a Java and web tech guy, so sorry I can't help you out there, but if you need a web guy, you have my number.

  2. Re:Join Team Overbot - no pay, some risk, big priz by wampus · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    And we all realize that shit like this fucks over moderators when it comes up for meta-modding.

    "Why was this (apparently) well written and informative post modded down? Unfair!" And the moderator then looses karma.
    Its one of the reasons I stopped modding. I was one of the original 400 or whatever moderators, and I hardly ever do it now when I have the points.