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Local Company Enters High-Tech Competition
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4/12/2005 6:00 PM
(Katrina Irwin, WROC-TV)
The U.S. Department of Defense wants one third of its vehicles to operate without a driver by the year 2015. Now, it's up to over 100 teams, including two in our area, to figure out how to do it.
Phil Fain, CEO of Torvec says, "it's a vehicle built for desert terrain, built for all sorts of different conditions."
The local company, Torvec, has designed this full terrain vehicle.
It's one of over a hundred entries vying for the Defense Department's 2 million dollar prize.
The vehicle can move easily through just about anything in its way. It turns using a hydraulic steer drive system and the real test will come this fall.
Fain says, "the DARPA grand challenge will occur in the month of September. It's a race across the Mojave Desert, 142 miles."
They use a GPS system and lasers to make it go and maneuver around the objects it encounters, whether they're here or on the battlefield.
"It's not controlled by robot or joystick that a person would have to control. It's simply out of the control of human hands."
It's something that may have benefits not only for the military, but for everyone. Mary Ho, One of Torvec's directors says, "you're increasing people's livelihood. You're increasing commercial development...It's a really great innovation."
Torvec isn't the only local team competing. R.I.T also has an entry. Torvec believes, however that they are the only ones entering an autonomous full terrain vehicle, the others are cars or trucks.
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