In a glimpse of the future, the UK's Ministry of Defence has announced the winner of the most promising robotic technology in the battlefield.
Img: Winning entry SATURN. Credit: Jaap Buitendijk
The contest, begun in 2006, was named the RJ Mitchell Trophy after the inventor of the iconic Spitfire aircraft that played such an important role during the Battle of Britain in World War II.
The seven contestants were put through a number of tasks over three days this week with the winner emerging as the Saturn (Sensing & Autonomous Tactical Urban Reconnaissance Network) robot submitted by Team Stellar.
In announcing the award, Baroness Ann Taylor, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, said, "We are proud to crown Team Stellar the winners of MOD's most prestigious competition for battlefield innovators. They follow in the footsteps of RJ Mitchell, a great British inventor who pushed back the frontiers of science to develop the prototype of the Spitfire. It is this type of vision and dedication which makes the United Kingdom a world leader in science and technology."
"The Grand Challenge has proven a showcase for the wealth of talent that exists in the UK - not just in large defence firms, but in universities, schools and even garden sheds across the nation," added the Baroness.
The winning team comprised of experts from Cranfield University and a number of design teams. The Stellar Group submitted two unmanned aerial vehicles and one ground vehicle to the contest and Stella Team Leader Julia Richardson expressed her joy at winning the challenge, saying: "I am extremely pleased, we are thrilled, we worked very hard and it is a fantastic result."
The Ministry of Defence will now consider how best to develop the new technology unveiled in the challenge with the aim of assisting British forces in the frontline of battle.
To see video of the winning entry SATURN, go to the BBC Web site by clicking here.
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