Google is beginning to distance itself from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
This military developer played an integral part in the development of the internet decades ago. But now, one of the internet's largest companies wants to break off many ties with the federal group.
The problem started when the National Security Agency (NSA) and other spy agencies began conducting widespread electronic surveillance. Targets included ordinary people around the world, as well as world leaders. Among those who found their communications and data tapped were the big internet corporations, including Google.
Google announced they will not accept any more funding from the military developer, although they will keep their robot in the competition, which offers two million dollars in prizes.
SCHAFT, a Google entry at the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC), will be self-funded. This move allows two more teams to enter the contest. Team THOR will use the released funds for development of the Tactical Hazardous Operations Robot (THOR). The announcement was made by DARPA.
"The decision by Team SCHAFT to self-fund allows DARPA to expand the competition and further develop disaster response robots. This expansion is similar to what happened after DARPA held the Virtual Robotics Challenge in June 2013, when some teams shifted resources and allowed us to increase participation. I look forward to seeing the results of efforts by our new finalists and new team," Gill Pratt, DRC Program manager, said.
Team THOR will be dividing into two groups, working at separate Universities. They will split the money from Google moving to the self-funded category. Most research undertaken by Google takes place at the Google X Lab. Developments underway there include smart contact lenses that could allow people to connect their vision directly to smartphones, and a self-driving car.
The SCHAFT Team had already entered the DARPA challenge when they were acquired by Google in 2013. In trials last December, their entry placed in the top eight competitors, making the group eligible for one million dollars. Google turned down the money.
The search engine and technology giant has several ties with the defense research group. Google owns Boston Dynamics, which has contracts with DARPA. Most of those ties are expected to be severed, but it could take more than a year for terms to conclude.
Project Loon, under development by Google, could provide internet access to the entire world where there is no connection to the service. Ironically, Google may wind up bringing the work started by DARPA more than 40 years ago to billions of people.
