congratulations to team DRC HUBO for winning the 2015 DARPA robotics challenge

congratulations to team DRC HUBO for winning the 2015 DARPA robotics challenge 
image courtesy of university of nevada las vegas, howard r. hughes college of engineering

DARPA robotics challenge (DRC) finals is all about the robot and the tough course laid out before it. it is a sequence of eight tasks that the robots need to complete in 60 minutes of less. 23 teams showed up from all around the world, including japan, germany, italy and the united states, but only one team could take home the $2.0 million (USD) funding prize. the 2015 winner of the two day event was ‘DRC-HUBO’ from a joint team which included researchers from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, and team ‘KAIST‘ from south korea, with a score 8 out of 8 tasks completed and a time of 44 minutes, 28 seconds. 

made of aluminum, it is a bi-pedal robot with fast moving wheels and sophisticated joints (seven motors, and seven drivers) that simulate the mechanics of a human arm and can lift up to 20 kilograms. the robot is approximately 160 centimeters, and weighs 80 kilograms. ‘this is the end of the DARPA robotics challenge but only the beginning of a future in which robots can work alongside people to reduce the toll of disasters,’ said 2015 darpa robotics challenge director arati prabhakar. ‘I am so proud of all the teams that participated and know that the community that the DRC has helped to catalyze will do great things in the years ahead.’ 

the layout of the DARPA course
illustration by james provost and erik vrielink 
image courtesy of IEEE spectrum 

led by Professor Paul Oh, Lincy Professor for Unmanned Aerial Systems 
image courtesy of university of nevada las vegas, howard r. hughes college of engineering

the team with ‘DRC-HUBO’ 
image courtesy of university of nevada las vegas, howard r. hughes college of engineering

the back of the robot which is being programed and tested 
image courtesy of university of nevada las vegas, howard r. hughes college of engineering

complex thigh joints that include motors and drivers 
image courtesy of university of nevada las vegas, howard r. hughes college of engineering

foot pads for moving and standing 
image courtesy of university of nevada las vegas, howard r. hughes college of engineering

mock up of the tasks done at DARPA challenge 
image courtesy of university of nevada las vegas, howard r. hughes college of engineering

the ‘DRC HUBO’ standing at full height 
image courtesy of university of nevada las vegas, howard r. hughes college of engineering

the robot was capable of entering the vehicle, drive and disembarking from it 
image courtesy of university of nevada las vegas, howard r. hughes college of engineering