FOR THREE YEARS, ROBOT COMPETITORS AND THEIR HUMANS HAVE TAKEN TO THE FIELD AT
WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE TO SHOW US WHAT THEY’RE MADE OF. AND NASA 360 HAS
BEEN HERE FOR IT ALL. WHILE PUSHING TECHNOLOGY TO THE LIMIT, WE’VE WITNESSED
THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF NASA’S SAMPLE RETURN ROBOT CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE. ROBOTS HAVE
LOST THEIR COOL, ROVED WHERE THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE, GIVEN NEW MEANING TO THE
WORD TREE HUGGER, AND EVEN TRIED TO ESCAPE THE PLAYING FIELD. BUT EVERY SETBACK
PUSHES TEAMS TO CREATE NEW AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. SO WHAT’S THE GOAL?
IN LEVEL 1, AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS, OPERATING FREE OF HUMANS, NEED TO FIND A SAMPLE
AND BRING IT HOME IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS. DO IT - AND THEY WIN $5,000 AND THE RIGHT
TO COMPETE IN LEVEL 2. IN LEVEL 2, THE STAKES ARE MUCH HIGHER, ABOUT $1.5 MILLION
HIGHER. IN PRIOR YEARS, TWO TEAMS HAVE ALREADY EARNED THE RIGHT TO COMPETE
IN LEVEL 2.
THIS YEAR 14 ADDITIONAL TEAMS
WILL VIE FOR A SPOT TO JOIN THEM AS THEY COMPETE FOR 1.5 MILLION. WANT TO KNOW WHAT MAKES
THESE ROBOTS TICK? NASA 360 IS BACK, AND WE’RE GOING TO REVEAL THE TECHNOLOGIES
THAT HAVE GIVEN A FEW ROBOTS THE INSIDE TRACK TO LEVEL 2.
I’M ON THE VIEWING PLATFORM WHERE LATER TODAY OUR TEAMS WILL GET A FRONT ROW SEAT AS THEY WATCH
THEIR ROVERS GO FOR THE GOLD. BUT BEFORE THE COMPETITION GETS ROLLING, LET’S SEE
HOW IT ALL GOES DOWN.
THE SAMPLE RETURN ROBOT CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE IS JUST ONE CHALLENGE IN A LARGER PLATFORM OF
CENTENNIAL CHALLENGES FOR NASA. WHAT’S YOUR OVERALL GOAL FOR THESE CHALLENGES?
THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE NASA CENTENNIAL CHALLENGES IS TO ADVANCE TECHNOLOGIES FOR NASA SO
MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE CAN INFUSE THEM IN OUR PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS, AND TO ADVANCE
THE TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE NATION. SO WE DO HAVE A PRETTY BROAD SPECTRUM OF COMPETITIONS THAT WE
RUN THROUGH THE CENTENNIAL CHALLENGES PROGRAM. SO WE’LL BE DOING ANYTHING FROM AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS TO PROPULSION AND
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS FOR CUBESATS. WE’VE DONE ELECTRIC AIRPLANES, WE’VE DONE BETTER ASTRONAUT GLOVES, VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING VEHICLES.
THE GOAL OF THE CENTENNIAL CHALLENGES IS TO HELP ADVANCE THE TECHNOLOGY IN A VARIETY
OF AREAS AND ALSO PROVIDE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO TURN INTO
BUSINESSES FOR THE TEAMS THAT DEVELOP THEM AS A PART OF A CHALLENGE.
HAVING A ROBOT BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE, AVOID OBSTACLES, COLLECT SAMPLES, WITHOUT A
NAVIGATION SYSTEM, SUCH AS GPS OR MAGNETIC COMPASS,
WOULD BENEFIT NASA IN TERMS OF PLANETARY MISSIONS, BUT ALSO BENEFIT INDUSTRY
FOR INFUSION INTO EARTH-BASED TECHNOLOGY. IN MANY OF OUR COMPETITIONS WE’VE SEEN OUR COMPETITORS GO OFF TO GREAT COMMERCIAL SUCCESS
POST COMPETITION. SO NO DIFFERENT WITH THIS CHALLENGE, A LOT OF OUR COMPETITORS ARE
ALREADY TALKING IDEAS WITH EACH OTHER FOR, “WHERE COULD THIS TECHNOLOGY BE APPLIED?”
COULD IT BE APPLIED IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY? FOR DELIVERY OF GOODS OR FOR ASSISTANCE?
YOU KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE COULD BE APPLYING THESE AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS TO. THAT TYPE OF MODEL WHERE THEY ACTUALLY TAKE
THE TECHNOLOGY BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CHALLENGE, BUT THEN HAVE A BUSINESS
IDEA OR AN IDEA ABOUT WHERE THEY CAN INFUSE IT INTO A PRODUCT OR EVEN A SERVICE, THAT IS
THE PERFECT SCENARIO THAT WE, THAT WE LOOK AT FOR OUR PROGRAM. SO EVEN IF SOMEBODY DOESN’T WIN THE
COMPETITION, THERE’S ALWAYS POTENTIAL FOR THEM TO SUCCEED COMMERCIALLY THEMSELVES
WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THEY DEVELOPED FOR THIS CHALLENGE. SO THE PURPOSE OF THE SAMPLE
RETURN ROBOT CHALLENGE IS TO HELP BUILD THAT FOUNDATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT, AND FOR
AUTONOMOUS ROBOTICS. COMPETITORS ARE ASKED TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY THAT ENABLES THE
ROBOT TO NAVIGATE A TERRAIN, AVOID OBSTACLES AND FIND,
IN LEVEL 1 IN PARTICULAR, A CACHED SAMPLE. SO THIS IS THE COMBINATION OF, OF MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE, BUT PUTTING THEM ALL TOGETHER AND MAKING
THEM WORK IS, IS VERY CHALLENGING. THE SPECTRUM OF TECHNOLOGIES ALL BEING INFUSED
TOGETHER IN ONE SYSTEM AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE DOING AT THE SAMPLE RETURN ROBOT CHALLENGE. IF A COMPETITOR GETS TO
LEVEL 2 THE FIRST THING THEY NEED TO DO IS GO GET THE SAME CACHED SAMPLE THAT THEY GOT IN LEVEL 1.
BEYOND THAT, THERE’S OBJECTS SCATTERED, SPRINKLED THROUGHOUT THIS PARK. IN ORDER TO WIN ANY
MONEY AND TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL AT LEVEL 2, THEY HAVE TO BRING BACK AT LEAST
TWO SAMPLES. ONE OF THEM WHICH IS THE PRE-CACHED SAMPLE FROM LEVEL 1 AND THEN AT LEAST
ONE OTHER SAMPLE ON THE COURSE. AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS COMPETITION FIELD IS THE
SIZE OF ABOUT ONE AND A HALF FOOTBALL FIELDS IN A DOG-LIKE PATTERN OR SHAPE, SO THERE’S,
IT’S A HUGE
AREA FOR THESE ROBOTS TO HAVE TO GO ROAM AROUND, TO GO FIND THE SAMPLES, DETECT THEM,
PICK THEM UP AND THEN BRING THEM ALL BACK TO THAT SINGLE STARTING POINT. BUT BEFORE WE CAN TO LEVEL TWO WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH LEVEL 1.
TEN TEAMS MADE IT TO THE FIELD TO COMPETE FOR LEVEL 1’S
$5,000 PRIZE. SOME OF THE ROVERS DIDN’T MAKE IT OFF THE STARTING PLATFORM, OTHERS
MADE A BREAK FOR THE SAMPLE AND ONE OVER-EAGER ROVER EVEN FELL HEAD-OVER-HEELS…
WELL, HEAD-OVER-WHEELS LOOKING FOR THE SAMPLE. NOW IT’S TIME FOR THE MAIN EVENT AS TWO
TEAMS COMPETE FOR $1.5 MILLION. AT IT ALL STARTS RIGHT HERE, ON THIS PLATFORM.
FIRST UP, TEAM SURVEY. TEAM SURVEY HAS BEEN COMPETING IN THE SAMPLE RETURN ROBOT CENTENNIAL
CHALLENGE SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2012 AND UNTIL LATER TODAY HAS BEEN THE ONLY TEAM
TO COMPETE FOR LEVEL 2’S $1.5 MILLION PRIZE. AND WITH TWO HOURS
ON THE CLOCK.
THE ROVER IS OFF. SO WE DECIDED THAT THE BEST THING TO DO WOULD BE TO MAKE A
NINETY-DEGREE TURN OFF THE PLATFORM AND START EXPLORING THE PARK FROM THERE, AND LOOK AT ANYTHING IT
THINKS IS A SAMPLE ALONG THE WAY.
SO RIGHT NOW IT’S EXERCISING ALL ITS SAMPLE DETECTION, WHICH I THINK IS,
YOU KNOW THAT’S REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE. THE ROVER CONTINUES TO EXPLORE
ITS SURROUNDINGS. IT TAKES HIGH-RESOLUTION PICTURES OF THE AREA,
IT USES THAT INFORMATION, IT ANALYZES THOSE IMAGES AND DETERMINES IF
THERE ARE SAMPLES IN THE IMAGE AND THERE’S A WHOLE CHAIN OF STUFF THAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT. IT PASSES IT DOWN TO THE COMPUTERS AND
THEN IT SENDS THE ROBOT AFTER IT AND SO STEVE IS GETTING TO HEAR IT SAY ALL THE CONFUSING
THINGS IT’S SAYING. IT’S PROBABLY SAYING, “SAMPLE DETECTED.” PURSUING. THEN IT'S SAYING, ... WHEN IT’S NOT A SAMPLE.
SO THE ROVER FOUND THE PRE-CACHED SAMPLE AND ALTHOUGH THIS IS WORTH NO MONEY, IT IS A REQUIREMENT IN THE LEVEL 2
COMPETITION. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU’RE USING AND YOU KNOW, WHAT APPLICATIONS IT HAS HERE. I MEAN WHAT APPLICATIONS YOU THINK IT COULD HAVE BEYOND THIS CHALLENGE AND JUST IN THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW A LOT, A LOT OF THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE ROBOT THAT IS DIFFERENT AND IMPORTANT IS ALL IN THE SOFTWARE. YOU KNOW, THE MOTORS,
THE ACTUATORS, THE CAMERAS AND EVERYTHING IS PRETTY NORMAL STUFF. LIKE THERE’S JUST NOTHING, THERE’S NOTHING
SPECIAL ABOUT, WE HAVEN’T DESIGNED ANY NEW PHYSICAL STUFF, IT’S ALL IN THE SOFTWARE. AND YOU KNOW ZACH’S BEEN WORKING ON A
LOT OF ALGORITHMS FOR DETECTING “INTERESTING” OBJECTS, SALIENT IS THE NERDY COMPUTER-VISION TERM, OBJECTS IN THE, YOU KNOW CAMERA’S FIELD
OF VIEW. AND THAT’S, THAT’S GOING TO BE THE IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGY THAT COMES OUT OF THIS, IS OBJECT DETECTION IN CAMERAS,
AND NAVIGATION FOR ROBOTS, THAT KIND OF STUFF. ALTHOUGH TEAM SURVEY WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND RETRIEVE THE REQUIRED PRE-CACHED SAMPLE,
THEIR ROVER WAS UNABLE TO PICK UP ANY OTHER SAMPLE MISSING THEIR
SHOT AT THE BIG PRIZE. UNFORTUNATELY FOR TEAM SURVEY ONE OF THE AREAS THAT THEY SPENT
QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN, HAS A SAMPLE AND THE ROBOT HAD ACTUALLY LOCKED ONTO IT BUT IT GOT
A LITTLE CONFUSED WHEN IT GOT RIGHT UP ON IT. THAT’S STILL REALLY IMPRESSIVE THAT THEY
WERE ABLE TO DETECT THAT SAMPLE. THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DETECT IT ALL, BECAUSE THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT SHAPE IT IS, THEY DON'T KNOW THE PATTERN. BUT THE FACT THAT IT
SAW IT AND KNEW IT WAS A SAMPLE AND CIRCLED AROUND IS A REALLY, THAT IS A FEAT IN ITSELF. IT'S TOUGH, IT'S A HUGE PROBEM AND THERE'S SO MANY LITTLE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO KNOW.
WELL I FOR ONE DON’T VIEW THIS AS A FAILED TEST BY ANY MEANS, I HOPE YOU DON’T EITHER. NO, THE ROBOT IS NOT ON FIRE. WELL, THAT’S TRUE. IT’S NOT IN THE LAKE, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE WORSE.
NO ONE WAS INJURED. (LAUGHTER) NEXT UP, THE WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS. LAST YEAR WAS THE
MOUNTAINEERS FIRST GO AT THE SAMPLE RETURN ROBOT CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE AND
THEY EASILY QUALIFIED TO COMPETE IN THIS YEAR’S LEVEL 2. AND THEY’RE OFF.
THE ROVER’S HEADED TOWARD THE PRE-CACHED SAMPLE PROVING THAT IT CAN STILL COMPLETE
THE LEVEL 1 TASK. THEY’RE CLOSE… A FEW MORE FEET… AND THEY’VE GOT IT. NOW ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS
BRING IT HOME.
THEY’VE MANAGED TO PICK UP AND RETURN THE PRE-CACHED SAMPLE, SO EVERY ITEM LOCATED
AND RETURNED AFTER THIS IS WORTH COLD HARD CASH. SO RIGHT NOW IT’S JUST SCOURING THE FIELD
GOING THROUGH A HUGE, HUGE LIST OF TRAVEL WAYPOINTS AND IT’S JUST SEARCHING EVERY ONE OF THOSE
WAYPOINTS TO SEE WHAT IT FINDS. AT EACH SEARCH WAYPOINT, IT’LL STOP, ROTATE THE CAMERA AND TAKE NINE PICTURES AND AFTER IT TAKES EACH IMAGE, IT PROCESSES
THE IMAGE TO SEE IF IT CAN DETECT A SAMPLE. WE’VE GOT THE LIDAR ON THERE. IT’S THE LASER SCANNER THAT’S NODDING UP AND
DOWN, AND IT CAN CREATE A 3D POINT CLOUD AND TELL US IF IT SEES AN OBSTACLE. AND IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO DO THE
PRECISION DROP OFF. SO WHY DO THEY DO A PRE-CACHED SAMPLE FOR LEVEL 2? THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION. I GUESS THE IDEA IS THAT
ON A MISSION, THERE’S A SAMPLE THAT YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO BRING BACK, AND THEN
YOU ALSO WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING BACK, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING INTERESTING, THINGS THAT YOU SEE. SO YOU
DEFINITELY GET THE PRE-CACHE, AND THEN YOU GET SOME EXTRAS IF YOU CAN. IF YOU’VE GOT, OH, IT’S TRYING TO PICK SOMETHING UP.
NOW ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS BRING IT TO HOME BASE AND THEY’RE UP $100,000. JUST A FEW MORE FEET. A FEW MORE INCHES.
AND THEY DID IT – THE MOUNTAINEERS HAVE JUST SECURED $100,000. WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY JUST HAD AN
AWESOME RUN. THEY CAUGHT SAMPLES AND IT EARNED THEM $100,000 IN PRIZE MONEY. AND
PERHAPS COOLEST OF ALL, THE TEAM HAS DECIDED TO DONATE THE PRIZE MONEY TO THEIR
SCHOOL TO SET UP A ROBOTICS SCHOLARSHIP. IT’S GOOD TO SEE THAT ALL OUR HARD WORK FINALLY,
FINALLY PAID OFF.
WE’RE PRETTY HAPPY WITH THE RUN. WE HAD A COUPLE CHANCES AT SOME OF THE HARD SAMPLES
THAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE MISSED BUT OVERALL I THINK WE’RE ALL PRETTY, PRETTY PLEASED.
NASA MAY HAVE AWARDED $100,000 TODAY BUT WHAT’S BEEN GAINED IS WORTH SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
SAMPLE RETURN COMPETITORS HAVE SPENT FOUR YEARS DESIGNING, BUILDING
AND BRINGING THEIR ROVERS TO LIFE. IN DOING SO, THEY’VE PROGRESSED NOT ONLY THE FIELD OF
ROBOTICS, BUT FORGED NEW INNOVATIONS AND ADVANCEMENTS IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING,
SOFTWARE ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, ALL WHILE GIVING NASA A FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD CHALLENGE.
I’M MOLLY MCKINNEY AND THIS IS NASA 360.