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Mark Your Calendars
The next DARPA challenge is scheduled to begin this Saturday. Since it's on a weekend, maybe I'll get to see a bit of it this time around. Hopefully there will be more than a bit of it to see this time around :).
The only thing they need to avoid boredom is to not allow anyone to spend 3 hours trying to start their machine. If it's not moving 15 minutes after the starting gate opens, they lose. Doesn't matter if it was just about to start, the chief engineer is crying and threatening lawsuits, or your hometown is still under 2 feet of water. If it won't go, you're gone.
The only thing they need to avoid boredom is to not allow anyone to spend 3 hours trying to start their machine. If it's not moving 15 minutes after the starting gate opens, they lose. Doesn't matter if it was just about to start, the chief engineer is crying and threatening lawsuits, or your hometown is still under 2 feet of water. If it won't go, you're gone.
It should be exciting, they've made major improvements in their equipment this time. I was reading that this contest had a lot more prep time for the teams. Of course, DARPA added another million to the winner, so that got people even more motivated. Also they had a lot more filter trials this time, so the only ones that are going to be in the race are the ones that can put up a good fight to win.
Posted by: ManDrake on October 7, 2005 06:21 AM