DARPA seeks info on 3-D mapping, surveying tools for SubT Challenge
NewsMarch 11, 2019
ARLINGTON, Va. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking information on state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies for advanced mapping and surveying in support of its Subterranean (SubT) Challenge, during which the agency is working on ways in which georeferenced data ? geographic coordinates tied to a map or image ? can improve the speed and accuracy of warfighters in time-sensitive active combat operations and disaster-related missions in the subterranean domain -- or underground.
DARPA has issued a new Request for Information that seeks innovative technologies to collect highly accurate and reproducible ground-truth data for subterranean environments; the agency hopes any technologies that spring from the use of this data would potentially disrupt and positively leverage the subterranean domain without prohibitive cost, lower the risk to human lives, and enable exploration and exploitation of these dark and dangerous underground environments.
DARPA is calling for commercial products, software, and services available to enable high-fidelity 3-D mapping and surveying of underground environments, particularly technologies that offer high accuracy and high resolution and enable precise and reproducible survey points without reliance on substantial infrastructure (e.g., access to global fixes underground). Additionally, DARPA says that any relevant software should also allow for generated data products to be easily manipulated, annotated, and rendered into 3-D mesh objects for importing into simulation and game-engine environments.
For additional information on the SubT challenge, please visit the Federal Business Opportunities website.
