Inside VT KnowledgeWorks

TORC's Technology Keeps Getting Bigger

If TORC's ByWire XGV, an unmanned Ford Escape Hybrid converted to drive-by-wire, isn't a giant of technology in itself (they let me drive it), TORC has created a behemoth with its unmanned conversion kit for military vehicles, powerful enough to operate a Humvee.

Here's the latest from TORC  on ARCH (Autonomous Remote Controlled HMMWV) - descriptions, photos, and videos.  An interview with Michael Fleming, TORC CEO, was featured in the Rackspace Tech Showcase on Handshake 2.0.

Two VT KnowledgeWorks Company Leaders Named to 20 Under 40 List

Allan Tsang, co-founder or 88owls, and Michael Fleming, CEO of TORC Technologies, were named to the Blue Ridge Business Journal's 2009 20 Under 40 List of young entreprenenrs.

The stories are currently online in the BRBJ's booklet format.  Allan Tsang's story is featured on page 7 and Michael Fleming's on page 12.

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VT KnowledgeWorks is a unique growth enhancement program open to entrepreneurs in the New River Valley of Virginia and beyond.  Acceleration center and incubation facilities are located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. 

VT KnowledgeWorks sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, Handshake 2.0, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Latimer, Mayberry & Matthews IP Law, LeClairRyan, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and The Becher Agency (TBA).

TORC Awarded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Contract for Autonomous Path Planning

A press release from TORC Technologies, a VT KnowledgeWorks member company:

Blacksburg -- May 18, 2009 -- TORC Technologies announced today that it was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to research and develop new path planning algorithms for use in dynamic and unstructured environments. Leveraging their existing experience in developing autonomous vehicle solutions, TORC will develop new autonomous path planning technology that increases the capability and reliability of autonomous vehicles.

As the United States Military works towards the goal of having one-third of its vehicles unmanned by 2015, autonomous vehicles will be called upon to operate in increasingly dangerous and dynamic situations. It is important that the algorithms for these vehicles be able to adapt accordingly. TORC hopes to build upon its proven experience in the DARPA Urban Challenge to develop and demonstrate the next generation of autonomous algorithms.

In Phase I of the contract TORC will design a new path planning algorithm to navigate through dynamic, GPS denied environments. Subsequently, TORC will perform a feasibility study using simulated models of the environment. If successful, a proof of principal prototype could be built under Phase II.

About TORC Technologies

TORC Technologies is a robotics engineering and product development company focused on unmanned and autonomous systems. TORC is automating dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks by commercializing intelligent robotic technologies into modular, interoperable, off-the-shelf products that enable customers to rapidly integrate and deploy robotic-based solutions.

Contact: David Cutter, cutter@torctech.com, 540-443-9262