Researchers And Virginia Tech Students Prepare For DARPA Robotics Challenge

Mechanical and electrical engineering students from Team Valor build and test the ESCHER (Electromechanical Series Compliant Humanoid for Emergency Response) they are building for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Robotics Challenge at the TREC (Terrestrial Robotics Engineering and Controls) Lab at Virginia Tech April 9, 2015 in Blacksburg, Virginia. Unlike many of the other 24 international teams in the competition, Team Valor has built most of the semi-autonomous ESCHER robot from the ground up over the last three months. The winner of the simulated disaster-response course will take home a $2 million prize next week in Pomona, California. (Footage by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)