Media Room: Defence Alert

International teams to showcase their robots

What: Five teams from the MAGIC robot challenge will demonstrate their capabilities

When: 09:00 am, Friday 12 November 2010

Location: Royal Adelaide Showgrounds (main grand stand arena), Leader Street, Wayville.

Interview and photo opportunities: Participants from the five competing teams – Australia, Turkey and USA.

Media and event contact: Steve Butler 0418 800 323

Background:

Five teams (one each from Australia and Turkey, and three from the USA) are competing in the grand final of the Multi Autonomous Ground-robotics International Challenge (MAGIC). They will stage an exhibition event (The Ram Shed Challenge) to showcase their robots which have to undertake a special mission demonstrating their ability to operate autonomously and cooperatively.

The MAGIC initiative is a joint project between the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the US Army’s Research, Development & Engineering Command to develop the next generation of autonomous ground vehicles that can be deployed in the future battlefield to enhance protection for coalition troops.