STRATEGY ANALYTICS PROJECTS FUTURE SUCCESS IN DARPA'S GRAND CHALLENGE
7.4 Mile Drive Equivalent to Wright Brothers' 120 Foot Flight
Boston, MA - March 17, 2004 -/Wi-Fi Technology News/- Although none of the robotic vehicle entrants in Saturday's DARPA-sponsored Grand Challenge race came close to claiming the million dollar prize for the first unmanned vehicle to traverse 150 miles of desert terrain in less than ten hours, Strategy Analytics does not see this as a technological failure.
This race-the first of its kind-is a benchmark test for navigation and obstacle-avoidance capabilities in autonomous robotic technology.
Neena Buck, Vice President of the Strategy Analytics Emerging Frontiers program which focuses on opportunities and challenges for a wide range of future capabilities involving embedded intelligence, notes that experience gained from activities like the Grand Challenge sets the stage for an emerging era of smarter vehicles, devices, and services. She states, "From smarter home appliances like iRobot's roomba, to future robotic military transport vehicles that will move supplies across battlefields, the road map to smarter, responsive systems is becoming clear." Ms. Buck recently completed "Smart Products and Systems," a report examining research initiatives of the race's sponsor, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA).
According to Strategy Analytics, contestants must improve in three areas to win the Grand Challenge Race within the next few years: 1) fewer general mechanical, electronic, and electrical glitches; 2) Faster processing of sensor inputs and command responses; and 3) better approaches for navigation and obstacle avoidance.
"The Carnegie Mellon team had the best performance this year," noted Harvey Cohen, President of Strategy Analytics. "Their vehicle may have only traveled 7.4 miles, but this ranks with the Wright brothers' first 120-foot flight. It is a dramatic proof of concept."
About Strategy Analytics
Strategy Analytics, Inc., a global research and consulting firm, provides timely insights and strategic business solutions to companies operating at the convergence of information, communications and entertainment technologies. With worldwide headquarters in Newton, MA and principal offices in England, France and Germany, Strategy Analytics focuses on market opportunities and challenges in the areas of Automotive Electronics, Broadband, Telematics, Wireless Strategies and Enabling Technologies. For more information, see http://www.strategyanalytics.com
US Contact:
Neena Buck, +1 617 614 0724, nbuck@strategyanalytics.com
European Contact:
Dominique Roussel, +33 1 4969 1923 droussel@strategyanalytics.com
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