The Great Robot Race

Want a sneak preview of the future of warfare? Look no further than The Great Robot Race, a highly entertaining episode of the PBS-aired NOVA series. Narrated by John Lithgow, the program has very little to do with military hardware per se, but its focus on the development of unmanned vehicles capable of navigating challenging terrain makes it clear that we're looking at the sophisticated beginnings of a military revolution. The title refers to the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) 2005 Grand Challenge, a competition in which unmanned robotic vehicles race across a grueling 130-mile course in the Nevada desert, complete with high-speed straights, natural obstacles, and dangerous curves on narrow mountainous roads. With a $2 million prize for the winning contestants, the DARPA Grand Challenge not surprisingly becomes a mecca for robotics engineers from all walks of life, from college students with modest resources to heavily funded teams from prestigious institutions. Their robotic creations capture the same spirit of invention and ingenuity that informed the conquest of air flight and space travel, with potentially lucrative defense contracts weighing in the balance. Whether employing improvised laser-guided vision, 3-D mapping systems, GPS navigation, or the balancing act of a homemade robot motorcycle, the genius on display here is both astonishing and inspirational. Of course, beyond the friendly competition lie darker horizons: one can't help but envision a future of lethal military hardware that seems straight out of science fiction. DVD extras include printable materials for educators. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)