CajunBot: Lessons

Arun Lakhotia

The Center for Advanced Computer Studies

Agenda

DARPA Grand Challenge Future plans Lessons

Grand Challenge Track

Route Definition: Input

Terrain

2005 Evaluation Process

Application: 195 Site visits: 116 Semi-finals: 43 Finals: 43 Finishers: 5

CajunBot in Action

CajunBot in Media

National/International Media

Local Media

CajunBot Day in Louisiana

Future

DARPA Grand Challenge 2007

Autonomous Vehicles in traffic Model vehicles in cities

New issues Detect other vehicles on road Follow road rules (right of ways)

Challenge date November 2007

Unveiling CajunBot-II

DOD: Robotic Systems

Single autonomous system not sufficient DOD expects collection of autonomous

robots

Robotic Systems: Bottleneck

Critical path technology Software Human computer interface Training of personnel

Testing requires Need fully equipped, functioning vehicles Trained personnel Testing area

Our proposal: Move testing and training to virtual world

CajunBot in LITE

Lessons Learned

Lesson 1: Its all in the attitude

Louisiana attitude Self-flogging Focus on all that is wrong Not appreciate what you have Aim low, so you will not fail

CajunBot attitude Impossible is nothing Others earned their keep; we got to earn ours Take your licks; and keep going for more

MAX IV ATV

Nov 2003

Started work

=> CajunBot

March2004

CajunBotTime line

Lesson 2: Choose ‘Area’ wisely

Choice of area defines growth potential Spent 10 years in ‘reverse engineering’ Very difficult to attract students, collaborators,

funds, media excitement Entered Robotics three years ago

Several hundred thousand dollars from university Over forty students ‘touched’ directly Five collaborators Several sponsors Media overdose

Lesson 3: Don’t box yourself

People identify themselves by their degrees and training: Computer Scientist working on tools to reverse

engineer legacy systems Identity defines what you do

and also What you do not do Most people are multifaceted Degrees should not limit what you can do

Computer Science/Engg guys changing transmission

Lesson 4: Aim high, people will follow Reasons for not aiming high

No support from community, family Resources needed do not exist

CajunBot lesson No dearth of resources in community People love to support risk takers

Majors of Melville – gave ATV on a phone call Chance of C&C – gave equipment worth several $100K Lafayette Motors – new Jeep Firefly – Web support Pixus – Decals Honda of Lafayette – Generator “2 the max ATV” – a full new ATV to use for spare parts

Angels in the Desert

Gave new ATV to use

as spare parts bin

Lesson 5: Do not underestimate your local talents

Attitude in Louisiana Consider ourselves

second Limit ourselves on what

we can do

CajunBot experience shows Plenty of talents around Not enough opportunities

to challenge the talent

2005 Team CajunBot Berwick High Baton Rouge High Catholic High, New Iberia Slidell High Kenner High Lafayette High Carencro Comeaux India, Nigeria, China

Lesson 6: Buy, don’t build

Common attitude I can build it myself Will save money

CajunBot experience Started with buying inexpensive equipment Spent time in chasing wrong problems Finally bought the more expensive equipment People, even students, are not free 2007 GC

Acquired the best sensors

Lesson 7: Team fails, not individuals

Common attitude Pin fault to an individual

CajunBot experience Failures result from succession of poor judgment Team succeeds together; team fails together

Lesson 8: Choose competitors

Common wisdom: You are defined by the company you keep

CajunBot experience: You are defined by your competitors

Lesson 9: Don’t underestimate your competitors

Common attitude Gauge competition by their past performance

CajunBot experience Team Gray of Gray Insurance Company

outperformed us (and everyone else)

Insurance company beat us

Lesson 10: Have fun

Don’t take yourself too seriously Excitement of challenge also wears off