CajunBot-II: Driving (to) the Future Arun Lakhotia The Center for Advanced Computer Studies University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Agenda DARPA Grand Challenge Lessons learned

Economic Development Quiz Which comes first? A. Trained Personnel B. Industry Answer: Neither, and it’s the wrong question Very smart people are everywhere Need to be challenged to reach their potential Correct question: How do we challenge our young?

CajunBot story Challenged students and faculty To perform beyond their expectations To compete in a “grand” challenge research Against the best in the world Result Impact across the university and community Built self-confidence Triggered others to participate in such challenge

DARPA Grand Challenges Mandate by US Congress (In 2001) Replace 1/3 rd of Ground Vehicles in combat by Autonomous Vehicles By 2015 Charge given to DARPA US DoD’s premier research agency Sponsored research leading to Internet, smart bombs, etc. Decided to push research by an open challenge

2004 Grand Challenge Drive 150+ miles (270+ Km) autonomously in Mojave Desert

2004 Challenge Terrain

CajunBot

CajunBot in action

CajunBot performance

CajunBot-II

Team CajunBot

CajunBot in Urban Challenge

CajunBot performance Amongst 43 teams reaching semifinals In DARPA’s top few teams to watch Eliminated in semi-final Amongst top performer in two tests Crashed in third test

CajunBot in Media

National/International Media

Local Media

CajunBot Day in Louisiana

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 March 2004 CajunBot Time line

Lesson 2: Choose competitors Common wisdom: You are defined by the company you keep CajunBot experience: You are defined by your competitors

Lesson 3 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 4: 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 5: 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 6: 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 7: 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 8: 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 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

Future

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