YSL.com followup story

Good, bad news on robot vehicle

There was good news, bad news for St. Louis' entry in the $1 million robot vehicle challenge.

The bad news first. The St. Louis customized ATV vehicle didn't even get away from the starting line. Its computer overloaded the vehicle's electrical system and it couldn't start the 142-mile course.

The good news. None of the other custom-built vehicles navigated the course either.

That means, the Pentagon's Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will hold the competition again in 2005.

Bill Zimmerly and Warren Williams are partners in St. Louis-based Team Phantasm.

YSL.com usually writes stories about the accomplishments of St. Louis-area kids ages 8 to 13. But, local kids are showing a lot of interest in robots. And, the DARPA competition was the best robot competition in the country.

St. Louis' Team Phantasm partners are both adults. But, YSL.com knows you'd like to follow a local team that's definitely an underdog.

It's definitely has some of the lowest financial backing. The building of the robot was done in William's home garage; he had to park the family's other vehicles outside.

The DARPA goal is to develop a totally self-contained robot vehicle that could run a long, rugged course. No human drivers or even remote control are allowed.

(YSL.com has published two earlier stories about the robot competition. To read the first story from the November, 2003, click here. To read the pre-competition story in March, 2004, click here.)

The U.S. Defense Department has tried to develop a true robotic vehicle for years through regular defense contractors. But, they hadn't succeeded. So DARPA opened the effort to other inventors this year.

Even before the competition started, there was speculation that none of this year's entries would be able to finish the course. That's how it worked out. But, DARPA wasn't discouraged.

In post-competition coverage, the New York Times interviewed DARPA program manager Eric Rasmussen. He said, "You have to understand; this isn't a one-year event."

He added, "Next year, everyone will be able to do the easy parts of the course and best entrants will go much farther."

Zimmerly wants to return. But, Williams wants better financial backing before he commits to another trip.

YSL.com will keep its readers informed.