In a posting yesterday I noted that it was unfortunate that the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is preventing foreign teams from competing in its Grand Challenges involving robotic vehicles. Today the Globe and Mail has an article noting that no less than 10 of the teams in next month urban driving challenge will be using navigational technology from Canadian company Applanix Corp. of Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Applanix technology uses GPS in conjunction with inertial systems such as gyroscopes to determine the vehicle’s position. Additional systems from other companies such as laser range finders are used to identify obstacles. The vehicle’s current position plus details of its surroundings are then analyzed in software to determine its movements, all done while the vehicle is moving at high speeds.
The Canadian government should sponsor a competition for Canadian teams – maybe seeing which university can build a car that can navigate the 401 during rush hour.