ByHaldun
Reven’s Interoperability Challenge in Jacksonville is completed
The second of the Reven’s Interoperability Challenge where NIST developed robot/operator evaluation test methods is conducted. Robolit, as part of the NIST team, helped with the setup and conduction of the tests. This event is a major step in dissemination of the ASTM test methods that have been under development for over a decade.
ByHaldun
Reven’s Interoperability Challenge in Denver is completed
Reven’s Interoperability Exercise for countering IED is held in Denver, CO. Robolit as part of the NIST team set up a robot/operator performance evaluation test bed that is inspired by the ASTM robot test methods. The event is a major milestone where robot operator training and evaluation incorporates objective and measurable platform independent manner.
ByHaldun
RoboCup WorldCup 2014 is held in Brasil
The RoboCup 2014 Finals was held in Joao Pessoa Brazil from July 21st to July 25th of 2014. This event brought together robotics leagues from around the world in a competition to determine the best team for the league they participated in. Each league had a number of participating teams at the college level. The event was designed to promote technological progress in the field of robotics by displaying first hand what designs were performing in what skill level.
Robolit participated in the design and implementation of the “Rescue Robot League”. This league created a disaster like scenario where robot teams scored points based on the number of “victims” they could find and identify. A referee and a judge ran the competition, at least one of which was provided by Robolit.
ByHaldun
US Science and Technology Festival is completed.
As part of the NIST team Robolit participated the US Science and Technology Festival held in Washington, DC from April 26-28. This wonderful event aims to improve the science, engineering and technology education (STEM) in K-12 system. There was a huge attendance including defense contractors, government institutions, universities, high school, small businesses, and more. Various key technologies that will pave the way towards a more flexible educational infrastructure were represented. The most noteworthy presentations were by the 3D printer companies.
With the NIST team we dabuted the mini-arena (a.k.a. confined space tests)—a small scale version of standard test methods developed in the ASTM E54.08 Subcommittee. This setup combined with our group’s recent work on 3D printable robot kit we believe the mini-arena will establish an exciting new experimentation and learning environment for young roboticists with direct association with the RoboCup Rescue League and the NIST Standard Test Methods work.
ByHaldun
RoboCup Rescue League German Open has started
The German Open for RoboCup was held in Magdeburg Germany from April 1st to April 6th of 2014. The event was designed to allow college and high school level robotics teams to practice as well as earn their place at the RoboCup finals held later in 2014. The event consists of various leagues spanning simulation soccer competitions to legged full size robot games.
Our focus is on the Rescue League which aims to foster innovation in search and rescue robotics. Robolit along side of NIST participated in the design, set-up, and administration for the RoboCup German Open Rescue League. Tasked primarily with judging during the students runs.
ByHaldun
Participation in Eurathlon 2013
Robolit joined NIST personnel at the euRathlon 2013 competition in Berchtesgaden, Germany. A continuation of the European Land Robotics Trials (ELROB), euRathlon is working with our collaborators at the German military to bring standardized test methods to their competition. This event heralds a new era in closer collaboration between the DHS-NIST-ASTM International Standard Test Methods for Response Robots project and the European robotics community.
ByHaldun
Response Robotics Summer School 2013
Robolit leads the latest incarnation of a decade-long tradition of response robotics summer schools with the 2013 Response Robotics Summer School, co-hosted with Western Australia’s Curtin University of Technology and the Western Australia Police Bomb Response Unit. For the first time, this event focused on the bomb squad challenges in response robotics, in a temporary departure from the search-and-rescue application that had been the subject of previous events. The event was a tremendous success, with several new avenues for collaboration identified, both within Australia and between Australian and international organizations. This event also prepares the way for the 2014 Response Robotics Summer School, to be run in Western Australia and co-sponsored by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.
ByHaldun
DARPA Robotics Challange site visit
Robolit is working with NIST to develop the challenges for the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC). As part of this, a Robolit research scientist joined NIST and DARPA officials over August 6-8, 2013 in a site visit to the Homestead Speedway in Florida, the site of the upcoming DRC Trials this December. This visit will help the team further refine the challenges ahead of the competition.
ByHaldun
RoboCup WorldCup 2013 is held in Eindhoven, NL
Robolit continues to play a crucial role in the RoboCupRescue Robot League, in support of the wider DHS-NIST-ASTM International Standard Test Methods for Response Robotsproject, with a Robolit research scientist traveling to RoboCup World Cup 2013 in Eindhoven as one of the members of the Organizing Committee to direct and supervise arena construction, gather data, and referee the competition. This event is an important outreach component of the overall project, providing exposure to leading research institutes from around the world in this crucial area.
ByHaldun
SSRR Summer School 2012 Starts!
SSRR Summer School 2012 has started with the attendance of 69 researchers from 16 countries and 32 groups at the Drita Hotel Resort and Spa. Detailed information about the venue and the program can be found at the official event site. We thank our financial and technical sponsors for making this event happen.