The U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, is holding two DARPA Subterranean Challenges presuming an underground facility emergency.
In one case, this event was held in an artificial tunnel in a research mine. The second episode is held in a facility such as a city subway, not a mine tunnel. The final will be held in a cave in August and an underground complex in August next year.
In this competition, the goal is to send robots such as caterpillar type, drone type, and airship type to find the most relic items within 60 minutes and detect the exact location, size, quantity, etc. The first items are various such as electric bows, life jackets, fire extinguishers or smartphones in survivors’ dummy dolls. However, it does not come out with these items directly. The goal is to provide detailed information to understand the reconnaissance robot performance required in an emergency disaster situation.
Then he explores a place. Not only is it dark, but it is also difficult for people to enter, such as stairs, narrow passages, steps and obstacles. It is a complex structure that requires a large vertical movement, not just the passageway in the horizontal direction. The robot must not only proceed with human manipulation, but also must operate autonomously when communication is lost.
Here, it is necessary to detect gas leaks, to find vents due to high temperatures that emit gases and smoke, and to investigate the information before sending workers in a closed underground space.
The first place prize of the event is $500,000, the second place is $250,000, and the third place is $100,000. Related information can be found here .