NOVA | The Great Robot Race | Meet the Teams

Indy Robot Racing Team
Robot: Indiana's Robotic Vehicle "IRV"
Body: 2004 Jeep Rubicon

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Affiliations: Entrepreneurs, Indiana University, Purdue University

Hometown: Carmel, IN

Leaders: Scott Jones and Doug Traster

Team size: 35

Budget: $400,000

Key technologies: Stabilized sensor platform, including six lidar laser range finders, programmed to recognize different types of terrain and obstacles. Distributed processing system with 27 computers and visual-based road finding.

Biggest challenge(s): Team project management with limited time and resources.

Race results: Did not qualify due to severe sensor misalignment caused by a crash during a routine safety check.

What they're up to now: Continuing to improve obstacle avoidance for IRV and other mobile robotic platforms.

Where the vehicle is now: In Scott Jones's garage; sometimes taken out and run on the team's 40-acre obstacle course in a cornfield, which features mini-mountains, tunnels, ditches, moguls, etc.