Local Expert Spearheads $1.6 million Robotic Competition

Local Expert Spearheads $1.6 million Robotic Competition

DETROIT ARSENAL, WARREN, MI. — Submissions for an international robotics competition, with prize money totaling $1.6 million, are due Oct. 2, 2009.

The Multi-Autonomous Ground Robotics International Challenge (MAGIC) 2010 is being hosted by the Australian Department of Defense (ADOD) and the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM). The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) is hosting a Participants Conference Aug. 6, 2009 at the Sterling Inn, Sterling Heights, MI.

TARDEC’s Joint Center for Robotics (JCR) is leading RDECOM’s MAGIC 2010 efforts. JCR Director Dr. Jim Overholt is providing guidance for competing teams to develop and demonstrate emerging unmanned technologies that can execute an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission in a dynamic urban environment to meet current and future force requirements. Overholt received his doctorate from Oakland University and has served at TARDEC and the TACOM Life Cycle Command for more than 20 years. He directs JCR in providing guidance to the Robotic Systems Joint Project Office and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise.

The challenge, which coincides with the Land Warfare Conference 2010 in Brisbane, Australia, will be conducted in two phases:
1) A 2-step down-selection process supporting award of five research grants for technology maturation
2) The Grand Challenge Event held Nov. 8–14, 2010, in South Australia.

All competing MAGIC 2010 teams are required to submit technical proposals by Oct. 2, 2009. The top three finalists, who will display their technologies Nov. 15–19, 2010, at the Land Warfare Conference 2010, will receive awards of $750,000, $250,000 and $100,000.

Below is MAGIC 2010’s complete list of key dates:
• July 31, 2009 — Participants Conference, Adelaide, Australia
• Aug. 4, 2009 — Participants Conference, Frankfurt, Germany
• Aug. 6, 2009 — Participants Conference, TARDEC, Warren, MI
• Oct. 2, 2009 — Submission technical proposal deadline for competing teams
• October–November 2009 — Five finalists will be selected and receive $100,000 to mature the technology
• Nov. 8–14, 2010 — Grand Challenge Event
• Nov. 15–19, 2010 — Land Warfare Conference, Brisbane, Australia

For more information or to register, visit http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/MAGIC2010/. 

TARDEC is the Nation’s Ground Systems Enterprise to ensure U.S. Soldiers continue to be the best-equipped and most lethal, survivable and sustainable fighting force on Earth. For additional information or to schedule an interview, please contact Bill Dowell at (586) 574-5144, [email protected] or [email protected]. 
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