DARPA Robotics Challenge June 5-6, 2015 at The Fairplex, Pomona, California

POMONA, Calif., June 1, 2015 --

What: DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) Finals Competition and Technology Expo

Where: The Fairplex, Pomona, California

When: June 5-6, 2015
8:00am-6:00pm PDT

Who: The event is open to the public, free to attend, and suitable for all ages.

Summary: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)—the organization that laid the groundwork for the Internet, stealth technology, handheld GPS and much more—invites the public to attend the exciting conclusion of a three-year robotics competition focused on developing robots that can assist humans in responding to natural and man-made disasters. Twenty-four robots/teams will compete simultaneously across four simulated disaster courses during hour-long runs for a chance to win a portion of $3.5 million in prizes. In addition to the competition, an on-site robotics exposition will include interactive robotics exhibits and demonstrations of technology from more than 70 diverse organizations related to disaster response, robotics and unmanned systems.

Background: The DRC Finals are the culmination of a three-year program to develop robots capable of assisting humans in responding to natural and man-made disasters. It was launched following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Tohoku region of Japan, with the goal of better preparing humans to confront the threats posed by future disasters.

Through two preliminary rounds of competition, DARPA and the DRC teams have redefined what is possible in robot power efficiency, supervised autonomy, physical adaptability and human-machine control interfaces. The DRC Finals will now push the teams and robots harder than ever, demanding that the robots operate using only onboard power and wireless communication, without the protection of fall arrestors.

Though the robots may appear to be slow-moving, the gamut of tasks they will face represents one of the most difficult tests of robot hardware and software ever attempted. Each movement the robots will make carries the risk of a potentially competition-ending fall and the hope of earning the $2 million first prize. The team's human operators will be sequestered in a garage area far removed from the test course, with only data from the robots' onboard sensors to guide them in issuing commands.

Register: Media will have front-row views of the robots running the courses. To register to attend, please visit: http://www.theroboticschallenge.org/media

To learn more about the event, please visit www.theroboticschallenge.org.