OCTOBER 30, 2007--Laser measurement system sensors (LMS) from SICK (Minneapolis, MN, USA; www.sickusa.com), a leader in factory and logistics automation solutions, are being used by 26 of the 35 teams at the 2007 DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Challenge race--the Urban Challenge. The sensors use laser radar technology to help the vehicle navigate the terrain and avoid obstacles. In the 2007 Urban Challenge, the sensors will be used to locate curbs and ditches, detect people and other vehicles, and to see elevation changes in the roadway.

Depending on how they are mounted, the LMS sensors can scan a vertical or horizontal plane. With a 180° scanning range, the LMS sensor collects 2-D profiles that detect terrain and obstacles in front of unmanned vehicles. With time-of-flight technology used to profile target objects, LMS sensors have the ability to prevent collisions in moving traffic.

The Urban Challenge is a competition designed to test the speed and accuracy of unmanned vehicles in a simulated urban setting. Vehicles must avoid obstacles, merge into traffic, negotiate intersections, and meet other challenges in a mock traffic environment. The event, which will be held Nov. 3, 2007, requires vehicles to navigate a 60-mile urban course in less than six hours. The race is intended to further advance research and development of autonomous vehicles for use in future military operations.

"SICK has been involved in the DARPA Challenges from the beginning by providing a special below-market price on LMS sensors and associated accessories," commented Jeff Wuendry, SICK product market manager. "SICK is a strong proponent of autonomous vehicles and benefits from seeing how each team uniquely uses the sensors," he concluded.

Tue Oct 30 14:00:00 CDT 2007