Addressing the topic, "Integration of Vision and Laser Distance Measurements' in Autonomous Robots," Riggins and Mutter were featured presenters during the conference's "Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance in Mobile Robots" session. Their data was based primarily on research conducted during BSC student teams design, programming, and construction of "Vasilius II," an autonomous ground vehicle that follows other BSC entries that competed successfully in the international student competitions in Oakland, Michigan in 2003 and 2004.
Currently, the Center for Applied Research and Technology at BSC's "Team CART" is preparing to participate in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) 2005 Grand Challenge. "These competitions challenge our students and faculty, raising the bar for our organization, and stretching our capabilities for resourcefulness, persistence, and ingenuity," noted Mutter, CART founder and director.
"We were honored to present at the SPIE conference, and we were grateful for the opportunity to learn, share, and network with leaders in an organization known throughout the world for its expertise in optics, photonics, and imaging. Many of the technologies that we have integrated into "Vasilius II" and in "Scorpion-fox" (the vehicle designed by Team CART to compete in the DARPA Grand Challenge) require innovations in optics and image processing. "
October 29, 2004