In 2015, a specially modified Polaris RANGER XP 900 became part of one of the world’s most ambitious robotics competitions. Humanoid robots climbed into the utility side-by-side, operated its controls and drove through an obstacle course during the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals.
The exercise demonstrated more than a robot’s ability to steer a vehicle. It explored how machines might eventually enter hazardous disaster areas, transport equipment and perform tasks that would expose human responders to unacceptable risks.
Why DARPA Put Robots in a Polaris RANGER
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency created the DARPA Robotics Challenge to accelerate the development of robots capable of assisting during natural and human-made disasters. The program was influenced by the difficulties responders encountered following the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
The competition asked robots to perform tasks that could be necessary in a damaged industrial facility or disaster zone. Those assignments included opening doors, operating tools, moving through debris, climbing stairs and driving a vehicle.
The Polaris RANGER XP 900 was selected for the driving portion because utility side-by-sides are commonly used by first responders, government agencies and relief organizations. Their cargo capacity, relatively compact dimensions and ability to travel over damaged or unimproved terrain make them useful in areas that conventional passenger vehicles may not be able to reach.
This was not an autonomous RANGER driving itself. A humanoid robot sat in the vehicle and physically operated the steering and controls. The RANGER served as a mobility platform that a robot designed to work in a human environment could use without requiring an entirely separate robotic vehicle.
How Polaris Modified the RANGER XP 900
Polaris Defense prepared a group of RANGER XP 900 EPS vehicles to accommodate the competing robots. Because the robots varied considerably in size and construction, the vehicles required more than a single standardized modification.
The specialized DARPA RANGERs included:
- A remote SafeStop electronic throttle-kill system
- Special brake-actuation technology
- A bench seat and tilt steering wheel to provide additional operating room
- Modified or partially removed rollover-protection components to accommodate taller robots
- A cargo box capable of carrying the robot’s external power equipment
- TERRAINARMOR airless tires to eliminate the risk of a conventional tire puncture
The RANGER XP 900’s cargo box was rated to carry 1,000 pounds, giving teams space for the substantial power supplies and supporting equipment their robots required. Safety systems allowed officials to disable or stop the vehicle if a robot lost control.
Polaris RANGERs Were Also Used in the 2013 Trials
Polaris and DARPA had already worked together during the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials at Homestead-Miami Speedway in December 2013. During those trials, robots attempted eight individual tasks, including driving a customized RANGER XP 900.
The 2015 Finals made the challenge more demanding. Instead of attempting isolated exercises, each robot had to progress through a continuous course designed to represent a disaster site. For the driving task, the robot had to operate the RANGER around obstacles, stop the vehicle and then exit before continuing on foot.
What Happened at the 2015 DARPA Robotics Challenge?
The DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals were held June 5–6, 2015, at Fairplex in Pomona, California. Twenty-three teams competed for $3.5 million in total prize money.
Team KAIST of South Korea won the competition with its DRC-Hubo robot. It completed all eight tasks in 44 minutes and 28 seconds, earning the $2 million grand prize. Team IHMC Robotics finished second, followed by Carnegie Mellon University’s Tartan Rescue team.
The robots’ performance demonstrated substantial progress over the 2013 trials, although slow movement, falls and control problems also showed how difficult it remained to deploy humanoid robots in unpredictable real-world environments.
Why the DARPA RANGER Still Matters
The modified RANGER XP 900 represented an important distinction in the development of unmanned off-road vehicles. Instead of replacing the entire machine with a purpose-built robot, Polaris helped adapt an existing utility vehicle so that it could be operated by a human, a humanoid robot or remote safety personnel.
Polaris described its long-term objective as creating off-road platforms that robotics companies could more easily integrate with autonomous, tele-operated or optionally manned control systems. The 2015 RANGER was still physically driven by a robot, but its electronic safety equipment and adaptable controls anticipated later interest in unmanned vehicles for defense, emergency response, agriculture and industrial work.
The project also demonstrated the versatility of the RANGER platform. The same basic utility side-by-side used for ranch work, trail maintenance and recreation could be adapted to carry robotic equipment into a simulated disaster zone.
For more milestones stretching from the original six-wheel model to the latest utility machines, see our complete history of the Polaris RANGER.
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